Years Later
by Solar Winded Flare
Summary: Amanda was able to escape Dark Falls when she was twelve, but now she's sixteen, and when she gets a call from a certain dead boy, she's given an ultimatum: be his, or her family will suffer the consequences. Ray x Amanda, some Slappy x Amy. Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: There's not enough love for this pairing, so I figured I'd try to contribute my own little story to Ray and Amanda. I couldn't work with the idea of him being a ghost who needs blood, so I just made him a vampire, but he's not your usual lovey-dovey vampire. And yes, there will be snippets of Slappy and Amy :) Can't have a RayXAmanda story without a little SlappyXAmy!**

**R.L. Stine owns Goosebumps, Amy, Ray, Slappy, and Amanda. I don't own anything :/**

**Chapter 1 - Phone Call**

Amanda opened the door to her house and stepped in, grateful for the warmth inside. The cold air outside had chilled her to the bone.

"I'm home!" she called, dropping her backpack near the front door.

There was no reply, so she figured her parents were still at work and her brother was still at soccer practice. Ever since Amanda and her family had moved here, Josh fell in love with soccer. That's all he ever talked about at dinner. Amanda had never seen someone with such athletic motivation as her brother.

Amanda went into the kitchen and grabbed an apple from the counter. Taking a seat at the table, she let the day's events run through her mind.

She was never worried about her classes; Amanda was a sharp girl in school. Ever since she moved away from Dark Falls, things seemed to take a turn for the better.

Dark Falls... The mention of that place made her shudder.

Amanda refused to deal with the weird memories surrounding that place. The old, creaky house, the odd children, the creepy realtor... It was too much. Now that she was back in normal society, she didn't want to think about that dark location.

The phone rang, pulling Amanda from her thoughts. She set the apple down and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey," Josh breathed. He sounded like he was out of breath.

"Is Dad home yet?"

"Nope. Why?"

He sighed. "I was going to ask him if he could pick me up, but I guess I can take the bus. See you soon."

"Okay. See you."

Just as Amanda went to sit down, the phone rang again.

"Now, what?"

"Hey, chill out, girl!" a peppy voice giggled. "I was just calling to say hey!"

Amanda smiled. "Hi, Amy."

Amy was her best friend, among other girls at their school. Even though Amy was extremely nice, Amanda was kind of jealous. Amy had this natural tan that every girl would kill for, and she always styled her shiny black hair just right. Amanda had thin brown hair than fell to her shoulders and boring brown eyes.

Compared to her supermodel of a friend, she was plain Jane.

"I'm at the park with Kendra and Natalie," Amy said. "Wanna hang out with us?"

"Can't," Amanda replied, twirling the telephone cord around her finger. "I've got homework and Josh is coming home soon. Maybe tomorrow?"

"Sure. Later!"

"Bye."

With a sigh, she hung up.

Amanda picked up her backpack and brought it into the living room.

Best to get started on her pile of homework now than later.

* * *

Dinner was uneventful. Mr. and Mrs. Benson talked about their jobs and Josh prattled on about soccer.

Amanda didn't have much to say; she was exhausted from the day's events. When she finished helping her mother clear the table, Amanda practically ran upstairs and flung herself onto her bed.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep.

Amanda was awoken by a vibrating noise. Her cell phone was vibrating on the night stand, the screen shedding light on the ceiling.

She groaned and picked it up.

"Yeah?"

_"Amanda."_

The raspiness of the voice made her blood run cold.

_Oh, no... Not him... It wasn't possible..._

"W-w-who is this?" She knew damn well who it was. She just didn't want to acknowledge the fact that Ray had been able to contact her, after four years.

_"You don't remember?"_

"N-n-no." God, she sucked at lying.

_"You're stuttering, Amanda."_

"S-shut up, Ray," she grumbled softly.

He chuckled. _"So you _do_ remember me."_

How could Amanda forget? The memory of Dark Falls was still fresh in her mind, even though four years had passed. After they moved back to normal civilization, Amanda had to take medication to help her sleep. She kept having nightmares; her twelve-year-old mind hadn't been able to handle all that terror.

Amanda knew it was pathetic, but a certain blonde-haired vampire continued to haunt her dreams.

"Unfortunately, I do," Amanda replied dryly.

She could almost see the sly grin forming on his face. He liked it when she was 'feisty', as he called it.

_"Well, I certainly remember you. I don't think I ever saw a prettier girl."_

Amanda glanced at her alarm clock and nearly sighed.

Three in the morning.

It had only been four hours; she needed at least three more to get through Friday.

"Is there a reason why you called?" Amanda asked. "I've got stuff to take care of in the morning and I really need the sleep."

Ray cleared his throat, but it didn't do much. His voice was always raspy.

_"Actually, yes. Ever since you left, I couldn't stop thinking of you. It's been four years, and you're not getting any younger. I was wondering if you'd like to come back and stay with me. We could be together, just you and me. All you would have to do is offer your blood to me."_

Amanda burst into hysterical laughter. She couldn't help it; was he out of his mind?

"No way!" She said between laughs. "Why would I offer my blood to _you_? You nearly killed my family! You've got to be crazy!"

There was silence on the other end of the line. When Amanda finally calmed herself down, she was still chuckling.

"Oh, man, I'm sorry, Ray, but that's just insane to ask. You can't just attempt to kill someone's family and then ask them something like that. Is that all? Can I go back to sleep, now?"

Ray sighed. _"Not quite. I was afraid you'd say no."_

Humor still laced her voice. "Why?"

_"I'll give you two options. Either you come with me willingly, or I'll come to you. If you try to fight me, the lives of your parents and your brother will be at stake."_

"You're stuck in Dark Falls, Ray. There's no way you can come all the way out here. You've got your limits as well as everyone else in that town."

Ray chuckled. _"Oh, really? Are you telling me you want me to come find you?"_

"Sure," Amanda said with a smirk. She was in a daring mood. "I'll be waiting."

_"Okay, Amanda. If that's what you want. I'm warning you, though, you really shouldn't underestimate me."_

She snorted. "We'll see, Ray."

_"Funny. I thought you'd be scared."_

"I'm not twelve anymore."

_"Oh, I know, but you're not the sassy type. You're a quiet soul."_

Amanda's heart leapt in her chest. "How do you know that?"

_"I've been following you."_

The realization of the deal she made hit her like a ton of bricks.

"So, you're telling me that you've been around my house?"

He chuckled. For a dead guy, he sounded quite alive. _"More times than I can count. By the way, I love your room. The blue wallpaper fits your personality. Quiet, calm, _beautiful_..."_

Amanda bit her lip. Fear was beginning to well up in her stomach.

_"Well, I'll let you get back to sleep. I can't wait to see you tomorrow. Oh, and remember one thing for me, will you?"_

"What?"

_"I love you."_

Amanda hung up on him.

She slammed her cell phone back onto the night stand, grumbling under her breath.

What a rotten way to start her Friday.

One thing was for sure, though; whether Ray was bluffing or not, she had to watch out.

Something in her gut told her that he wasn't kidding around.

* * *

**Sooo what do ya think? :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: R.L. Stine owns Amy, Slappy, Ray, and Amanda. I don't own anything.**

**Chapter 2 - Snowfall**

Amanda didn't get much sleep after her talk with Ray.

How could she? Just the thought of Ray made her shiver. Something in her gut told her that he meant what he said about coming to retrieve her and that scared her more than anything.

Finally, she heard a knock on the door.

"Amanda, come on, the bus comes in ten minutes," Josh said through the door. "And Mom just made breakfast. You'd better hurry up."

With a sigh, Amanda dragged herself out of bed and got ready for the day. After running a brush through her hair, she made her way downstairs to greet her family.

Her father already left for work and her mother was busy cooking eggs. Amanda plopped down next to Josh at the table.

"It's about time," he remarked. "You're usually the one knocking on my door to wake me up. You okay? You look like a zombie."

Amanda yawned. "Yeah, just tired. Hey, Mom, can I have scrambled eggs?"

"Sure, honey. Just give me a minute."

Her mother set a plate of eggs and bacon in front of Josh, who wasted no time in digging in.

As Amanda watched her brother pig out, she couldn't help but smile. If Ray ever did succeed in kidnapping her, she'd miss her younger brother the most. Josh, while immature, was funny when he was in the right mood. He noticed Amanda watching him and purposely began to chew his eggs with his mouth open, earning a giggle from his sister.

Mrs. Benson turned around and scowled. "Joshua! Close your mouth!"

Josh smirked and did as he was told, but he shot a glance towards Amanda.

Yeah, she'd miss him most of all. He always knew how to make her laugh.

_What am I thinking?_ Amanda thought. _Ray isn't going to come all the way out here and kidnap me. I'll be fine._

Even so, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.

* * *

Amy looked at herself in the mirror. Giving herself a once-over, she got up and grabbed a jacket. Right when she was about to slip the jacket on, she began to feel weird.

Something was wrong. _Very_ wrong.

The bad feeling in her gut made her remember a dummy she once owned, a dummy named Slappy. He would always play pranks on her and her family, and then Amy would be forced to take the blame. She remembered those days; a strained relationship with her parents and her sister, almost being sent to a psychologist...

Amy shook herself from her thoughts. The bad feeling in her gut was probably something school-related. Maybe one of her friends was upset with her or something.

Besides, she ditched all those dolls when she started high school. There was nothing to fear.

She made her way to the bus stop and waited alone.

_That's odd_, she thought. _Where are the other kids? They're usually here by now._

Above her, clouds covered the sun and snow began to fall. Flurries soon turned into a blizzard, and pretty soon, Amy was shivering and she couldn't see. All she could hear was the merciless downfall of snowflakes and... _footsteps_?

"Hey!" she shouted, taking a step forward. "Is anyone there?"

"Slave," a voice rasped. Amy felt a chill run down her spine.

She knew that voice all too well.

Upon turning around, she nearly gasped.

Standing before her was Slappy, only he was human. His red hair looked fine and soft, and his lime-green eyes reflected the horrified expression on Amy's face.

"Impossible!" she finally blurted. "I defeated you! You shouldn't even be here!"

Slappy laughed. "It'll take a lot more than a weak shove to kill me, Slave. Besides, I'm not here for a visit. I'm here to collect what's rightfully mine."

She raised an eyebrow. "Rightfully yours?"

"You're sixteen, now, right? Well, I've checked in on all my other slaves and they just don't seem to be as pretty as you. As my slave, it's your duty to obey me, and I order you to marry me."

Amy glared at him. "Get lost! I've already got a boyfriend."

Slappy's eyes began to glow with anger, and she nearly winced. "Amy, I wasn't asking you."

"I-I'm not marrying you, Slappy."

The next thing she knew, Amy was hoisted over Slappy's shoulder. She began to kick and pound at his back with her fists.

"Let me go, Slappy! I'm not your slave!"

"Shut up, Amy."

She was about to protest when something struck the back of her head.

"You're still timid and feisty," she heard Slappy say, before she fell unconscious. "You haven't changed a bit."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks, Guest, for your lovely review :D Made my day!**

**I don't own Goosebumps or any of the characters associated with it. I'm just a fan.**

**Chapter 3 - Arrival**

Amanda shivered as she made her way down the driveway towards the bus. Josh was two steps ahead of her. The snowstorm around them was thick and hard to see through.

_That's weird_, Amanda thought, as she trudged through the thin layer of snow. _We weren't supposed to have a snowstorm until Sunday. Oh well... Weather patterns are so messed up anymore._

When she finally boarded the bus, she was grateful for the blast of warm air from the heater. She took her usual spot in the front seat and the bus made its way towards Amy's house.

Amanda noticed that the bus slowed, then kept going. Was Amy sick? She sounded perfectly fine yesterday.

With a sigh, the brunette slumped in her seat and stared out the window, watching the snow-covered scenery pass by.

Her breath caught in her throat, however, when the bus passed a complex. Leaning against one of the lamp posts was Ray, his blonde hair messy from the wind. He smirked at her when their eyes met, and she could've sworn that his blue eyes began to glow red.

Once the bus completely passed the complex, Amanda felt her stomach knot up.

Ray was here.

She was in deep shit.

* * *

Amy awoke to find herself on a soft bed. She was no longer wearing the outfit she picked for school, but a long-sleeved nightgown. She sat up and tried to remember what happened before she passed out.

After a few minutes, she sighed and gave up, attempting to shake off the fog of sleep.

It occurred to her that she was in a very old-looking room. The bed was made of brass, with a comfy mattress and white linen sheets; the blue wallpaper was faded from age. In the corner of the room sat an end table with a rusty birdcage. On the nightstand next to the bed sat an old telephone.

Amy swung her legs over the edge of the bed and as soon as her feet touched the cool hardwood floor, memories came rushing into her head.

Slappy somehow turned himself into a human. After trying to be cold towards him, he threw her over his shoulder and then blackness.

But how the _hell_ did he become human? And why go after _her_, when he had plenty of other female 'slaves'?

Okay, so maybe Amy was pretty; she was shy and secretly loved reading. As much as she acted extroverted, she enjoyed spending Saturday nights discussing books with her best friend, Amanda. She was quite popular in school, but only considered a select few people her closest friends.

Again, why her, of all girls out there?

As if on cue, the door opened. In stepped Slappy, who had a smug grin on his face.

Amy couldn't help but admire his appearance. While he had been ugly in his dummy form, he was attractive in human form.

Scratch that. _Downright sexy_ was more accurate.

Amy mentally shook herself.

_Get it together, girl!_

Slappy leaned against the door frame. "Are you done checking me out?"

Her cheeks flamed. "I-I wasn't checking you out."

"Sure, Amy." His grin widened.

_Okay, time to change the subject_. "Why did you kidnap me?"

"I told you before. I want you to marry me."

"But why? What about all the other female slaves you have? I'm sure you've got a lot of them. You have a way of getting around the world."

Slappy shrugged. "I've got a lot of slaves out there, but you're the one who sticks out the most in my mind. I don't know why. You're pretty weak and timid."

Amy narrowed her eyes. "I'm not weak."

"Oh, yeah? Prove it."

She got up and shoved him, but Slappy barely even moved. For a second, Amy thought he might be angry that she tried to hurt him, but he burst out laughing.

"Like I said, you're weak, and not just physically."

Amy rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I don't need to prove myself to _you_."

Slappy stopped laughing, but humor remained in his eyes.

"So, where are we?" Amy asked, motioning to the seemingly-ancient furniture. "It's like we went back in time."

Slappy glanced out the window for a moment before returning his gaze to the girl in front of him.

"I guess I can tell you where we are. I mean, we'll be meeting a friend of mine soon, and this will probably be your new home, so what the hell? We're in a place called Horrorland."

"Horrorland?"

Slappy gave a curt nod. "It's a place where nightmares and monsters can live in peace without humans coming in and screwing things up. Of course, there is the occasional idiot who finds his way in here, but the owners take care of that stuff."

Amy didn't reply. She was wondering what Slappy meant by 'meeting a friend'.

She also needed to find some way out of this place and get home.

"But enough of that stuff. Come here for a sec."

Amy stared at him. "Why? What are you going to do?"

Slappy rolled his eyes. "Just come here, slave."

"I don't trust you."

"I'm not going to do anything bad, Amy, so don't get your panties in a bunch."

Hesitantly, she made her way over to him. Slappy looked her over and nodded approvingly.

"Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Don't question me, slave, or there will be consequences."

Amy sighed and did as he said. Suddenly, she felt warm lips on hers. When she opened her eyes, she was shocked to see Slappy kissing her, his eyes closed and a slight blush on his cheeks.

When he pulled away, he smirked and left the room, closing the door behind him and locking it from the outside.

Amy took a seat on the bed and frantically began to wipe his saliva off her lips.

But even so, she couldn't stop thinking about how warm and soft his lips were, and how right they felt against hers.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 - Graveyard**

The school day went by painfully fast.

Usually Amanda loved it when school went by in a blur, but not today.

Seeing Ray at that complex, so close to her home... That was freaky. Amanda didn't want to even think about what would happen when she got home from school, because if Ray was able to leave Dark Falls and travel all the way to Amanda's neighborhood, there was no reason why he wouldn't pay her a visit.

So, when the final bell rang and all the other teens rushed out of their ninth period classes, Amanda dragged her feet on the way to her bus. She took her usual seat at the front and looked out the window. The snowstorm that had bombarded the area had turned into a calm snowfall. The sharp winds had disappeared; soft zephyrs took their place.

For thirty minutes, Amanda was able to let her mind wander, despite the anxious feeling in her stomach. She thought about school, friends, Josh, Christmas... Anything but _him_.

When the bus finally slowed to a stop at her house, she put on a brave face and trudged up her driveway.

Amanda opened the front door of her house and felt the usual warmth engulf her shivering form. She dropped her bag near the door and shrugged out of her jacket.

Hesitantly, she crept upstairs to her room. Once her hand closed around the doorknob, there was no turning back.

_One... Two... Three!_

Amanda quickly opened the door.

Her room was completely untouched. Everything was as she left it before she headed off to school.

"Huh.." she muttered, cautiously stepping inside. _Maybe that wasn't him this morning. Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me._

And just as that thought crossed her mind, arms wrapped around her waist and a chin rested on her shoulder.

"Hi, Amanda."

She broke out of his embrace and whirled around to face him. Her heart began to beat furiously in her chest.

"W-wha -"

Ray smirked at her and hooked his thumbs in his jean pockets. Amanda couldn't help but notice how he had grown over the years. His blonde hair wasn't too long or short, but it was messy. He was about six feet, roughly two inches taller than her, and he was lanky. Even though he wasn't wearing the hat, he was still wearing the dressy suit, but it wasn't too small on him. It still fit Ray perfectly.

"I told you I'd come to you," he said. "And now that I'm here, I figure I'll be nice and let you say goodbye to your family."

Amanda was speechless. She didn't think he'd actually get here. What was she supposed to do _now_?

Ray's smirk widened. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

She shook herself out of her stupor and glared at him.

"I'm not going with you."

Ray sighed. "You always did want to do things the hard way. Okay, Amanda, since I'm in a good mood, I'll make you a deal. You have the rest of the night to say goodbye to your family, friends, anyone you need to tie up loose ends with. But when it's three in the morning, you're coming with me."

"No, Ray, I'm not going with you," Amanda protested, but her words fell on deaf ears.

Instead of replying, Ray approached her and tilted her chin up. His cold blue eyes searched her brown ones, and it was almost as if he was staring into her very soul.

Well, Ray was dead. It wouldn't be surprising if he actually _could_ see into her soul.

"I hope you know that I love you," he said softly, surprising Amanda. "And now that I've tracked you down, I don't plan on letting you go."

"Ray, I've got a life here," Amanda stated. She stopped herself from leaning into his soft palms. "I've got school, my family, and I'll probably be going to college in the future. I can't just up and leave. And I.. I don't like you like that."

The look of anger that crossed Ray's eyes made her flinch, but just as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared, and again, Amanda found herself staring into two blank orbs.

Ray let his hands drop back to his pockets. "Again, I'll give you until three in the morning. Use your time wisely, Amanda."

With that, he disappeared. Amanda looked around her room before sitting down on her bed.

She let out a long sigh and began to think.

_How can I get out of this?_

* * *

Amanda knocked on the door, shivering from the light snow that fell around her.

Amy was probably home by now. She'd know what to do.

Mrs. Kramer opened the door and smiled.

"Hi, Amanda, what can I do for you?"

"Is Amy home?" she asked. Amanda wanted nothing more than to collapse on Amy's bed and spill her problems. Amy always had a good ear and she gave good advice.

Mrs. Kramer frowned. "You don't know where Amy is?"

Amanda was taken aback. "No, why?"

"Well, she didn't come home from school and she didn't leave a note, so I figured she was hanging out with you."

"No, Mrs. Kramer. She wasn't even at school today."

The older woman paled. "Oh. Listen, Amanda, I have to go make a few phone calls. Perhaps you could come back tomorrow?"

"Sure, Mrs. Kramer. Good night."

Amy's mother closed the door. Amanda could hear the woman begin to cry.

As Amanda trudged back up the sidewalk towards her house, she couldn't help but worry about her best friend.

_Where could Amy have gone? She's got no reason to run away. Even when she argues with Sara, she wouldn't go and do something that extreme..._

Suddenly, there was a noise behind her. Amanda froze.

_Crunch. Crunch. Crunch._

She spun on her heel and looked around. There was nothing there.

"H-hello?" she called out, her voice wavering.

No response.

Amanda quickly continued her trek up the hill, but just as she was about to reach her driveway, the noise began again.

_Crunch. Crunch. Crunch._

"Seriously, stop following me!" she shouted, thinking it was Ray. It wouldn't surprise her if it actually _was_ him. He had a sick sense of humor.

"Mrow!"

Amanda looked down to see a stray black cat. Its tail flicked back and forth, giving Amanda a look that clearly said 'you're nuts'.

"Oh.. It's just a cat," she muttered to herself, mostly to assure herself it was just a cat that was following her.

"Mrow!" The cat began to walk away from her, then turned around as if to say 'come with me'.

Reluctantly, Amanda began to follow it. The wind began to pick up around her, making the air colder and colder.

Amanda wasn't sure how much longer she could stand the weather.

Finally, the cat stopped at a graveyard. Amanda hugged her thick jacket around her and looked around.

It's just a dusty old graveyard, she thought. What's the big deal?

Suddenly, a blast of cold air bit through her jacket. Amanda let out a squeak and a whole new wave of shivers rippled through her body.

_Sheesh, it's cold out here!_

Something made Amanda stare up at the sky. The winter sky was so crisp and clear, the stars twinkling around the full moon; it was truly a marvelous sight to behold.

Arms wrapped around her waist. "I didn't think you'd come so willingly."

Amanda turned around. Ray smiled softly at her, his skin as white as the falling snow. The moonlight shone down on them like a spotlight.

"W-w-what are you t-t-talking about?" Amanda's teeth were chattering violently.

"You're in the graveyard," Ray stated. "You came right to me. It's three in the morning, and I was just about to go to your room to retrieve you."

_Three in the morning? How long have I been standing out here?! How am I even alive? It's fucking cold out here!_

"N-n-no, a c-cat led me h-here. I w-w-want to go h-home, R-Ray. I-it's c-c-cold."

Ray's eyes began to glow red. "Dark Falls will be your new home, Amanda. Trust me."

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Cold lips upon cold lips. Amanda's shivering began to cease and a strange warmth filled her body. As Ray moved his lips over hers, she felt herself pass out in his arms.

Ray ran his thumb over her cheek before scooping her up bridal-style and carrying her out of the graveyard.

He grinned when she stirred in his arms.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I know updates haven't really been frequent, but I've been busy lately. I'll try to get a few more chapters out over winter break. Sound good? :)**

**Also, I wanted to thank my lovely reviewers. I'm glad you guys like my story and I hope you enjoy future chapters. Cheers! ^_^**

**Chapter 5 - Deal**

Amy huffed as Slappy pulled her along.

"Can you at least slow down?" she whined. "My feet are killing me!"

Slappy rolled his eyes, but obliged. Amy tried to catch her breath as they rounded the corner.

As they reached a door, a tall monster held the door open for them.

Much to Amy's surprise, Slappy nodded in acknowledgement before pulling her into the building.

It looked like a simple cafe. The place was filled with monsters, some eating while others were chatting lowly with each other. Amy noticed the menu was written in a weird language. She certainly didn't recognize it.

"Ah, there he is," Slappy murmured, a small smile playing on his lips. He dragged Amy over to a table and forced her into the booth. She glared at him, but didn't say anything.

Across from them sat a blonde boy, about seventeen. He wore a nice black hat and a black coat. Amy noticed that he had a strange, sickly look about him.

Was he alive? Or some form of dead?

"You're Ray, right?" Slappy asked, folding his hands on the table. "You were the one I talked to on the phone?"

"Yes," Ray replied, looking up.

_Oh my God, his eyes_, Amy thought. _They're so red! How's that even possible?_

"I've heard about you," Ray continued. "And I figured we could discuss the place you were looking at in Dark Falls."

Slappy cleared his throat. "Yes. How much are you asking for?"

"You can stay for free. I don't have any use for human currencies."

"Monster currencies, then?"

"I'm dead," Ray stated bluntly. "All I need to know is when you're coming to check out the house and how long you plan on staying. There's no limit, I've just got a town full of hungry vampires that wouldn't hesitate to get their hands on your friend here."

Slappy was silent for a moment. Amy's eyes flickered from Ray to him.

_What's he thinking?_

"How about we stay for a week and see how things go?" Slappy suggested. "I'll watch Amy and make sure she doesn't fall into the wrong hands. Deal?"

Ray stuck his hand out and Slappy shook it. Before Slappy and Amy left, Ray gave her a toothy grin, showing off pearly white fangs.

For once since she got here, Amy couldn't wait to be alone with Slappy. She hated his company, but anyone's company was better than Ray and his deathly aura.

* * *

Amanda awoke to find herself on a pile of blankets. Her back ached from sleeping on the floor.

She sat up and leaned against the wall.

"Hello, Amanda."

The brunette looked up to see Karen Somerset, an ex-friend of hers. Karen was one of the children from Dark Falls. Her hair was still in two braids and a straw hat sat on her head.

"Karen?"

"Ray's not here if you're wondering," Karen said, sitting next to her. "He had to meet someone."  
Amanda realized she wasn't cold anymore. She noticed she was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

"Where are my clothes?" Amanda asked, pointing to the sweatpants.

"You were in the beginning stages of hypothermia, so Ray had me change you," Karen explained.

"You're wearing his clothes. Mine didn't fit you."

Amanda blushed. "So, when will he be back?"

Karen leaned against the wall. "I don't know. He's been pretty busy lately."

"Doing what?"

"No idea."

_So much for conversation_, Amanda thought. She looked around the room. It was mostly empty, save for a wooden chair and the blankets she was sitting on.

"How are you feeling?" Karen asked. "You were out for a few hours."

"I'm fine, just a bit... confused."

"What about?"

"How was Ray able to leave this place? I thought you guys were bound to this place."

Karen smiled. "We can leave whenever we want, but we need a lot of blood to be able to leave. Ray recently had a whole human to himself."

Amanda wanted to cringe. "He didn't share with you?"

"He did, but he got most of it before the others could. He's the strongest out of all of us right now."

"And you're not gonna try to eat me?"

Karen laughed. "Nah. Ray pretty much called dibs on you. Everyone is relying on Mr. Dawes for the next meal."

Amanda shivered. _God, feeding on humans sounds so horrific!_

She stared at her sweatpants-covered legs. Ray's clothes were nice and cozy. She wondered if they were new or from when he was alive.

"Hey, Karen, thanks for looking out for her." _Speak of the devil._

"Sure, but you owe me. The next human is mine."

"I know."

Karen gave a small wave to Amanda and then left the room. Ray stuck his hands in his pockets and smiled at Amanda.

"Are you warming up?"

She could only nod. She was having major flashbacks. Running from the dead residents of Dark Falls, helping Josh rip the boards off the attic windows in an attempt to delay the ghoulish people...

Ray sat next to her and pulled her onto his lap. Amanda blushed and tried to get out of his arms, but Ray wasn't having it.

"Stay still," he whispered. "I've been waiting a long time to hold you like this."

"Why?"

"Because I love you."

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. You just want my blood."

"A small taste, yeah, but not entirely. I love you because you're you, Amanda. I was really looking forward to having you turn into one of us."

"Ray, I don't want to turn into a... a..."

"Vampire?"

She bit her lip and nodded.

Ray sighed and held her closer. Amanda didn't know if she should rest her head against his chest or push him away. She kind of wanted to cuddle up to him.

"It's not so bad," He muttered. "We only have to feed once a year."

"Are you saying you want to turn me?"

"Sure, if you wanted me to. I like you as a human, but you're not going to stop aging. When you turn twenty, I'll still be seventeen."

Amanda looked at him. "Really? Then how were you able to turn seventeen when you died at age twelve?"

Ray smiled. "When everyone died, we all gained some sort of ability. I'm able to age if I choose to, which is why I'm seventeen right now. If I were to age with you, though, then you'd eventually pass away and I wouldn't be able to follow."

_That's kind of sad..._

"What's Karen's ability?"

"She's able to sense emotions and calm people down."

"Oh."

A comfortable silence fell over them. Ray began to run his fingers through her hair.

"You look amazing in my clothes."

Amanda blushed but didn't say anything. She was enjoying the feel of Ray playing with her long hair.  
After a while, she yawned. Ray pulled her into his chest and felt her slowly begin to fall asleep. He kissed her forehead and pulled one of the blankets over her body.

"Sweet dreams, Amanda."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Relatively short chapter but hey, it's an update! Chapter 7 is probably going to be posted tomorrow, I think..? Most likely, haha :) Hope you all are enjoying my story! It's really fun to write! ^_^**

**Oh, and a big thank you to Sara and SideshowJazz1 for the lovely reviews! :)**

**I ****_might_**** write other Goosebumps book fics (Curse of Camp Cold Lake, etc.) but they might not be written right away (or written at all). I want to get this fic finished before I jump into anything else.**

**Sound good? :)**

**Chapter 6 - Adorable**

Amy could feel herself being shaken awake.

"Hey, wake up! I didn't say you could sleep!"

She groaned and opened her eyes. "What do you want _now_?"

Slappy rolled his eyes. "We're going to Dark Falls, remember? Now, get up!"

Amy turned over. "Go away, Slappy. I'm tired and I'm going back to sleep."

With a frustrated sigh, Slappy grabbed the covers and ripped them off of Amy. She gasped and hugged herself, attempting to keep some warmth. Her nightgown was thin, however, and the cold air easily got to her.

"Hey!"

"You're awake, now get up," Slappy ordered, throwing the covers to the floor. "There will be time for sleep later. We've got to get to Dark Falls as soon as we can."

Amy sat up. "Why the rush?"

"I have my reasons," Slappy replied. "Now, get up and get ready. If you don't hurry up, I'll leave you here."

She perked up. If he left her behind, there was a good chance she could hitch a ride with someone and go back home.

"Really?"

"No."

She frowned. "You suck, you know that?"

Slappy grinned. "Love you too, Amy."

With that, he disappeared downstairs. Amy sat on the bed for a few minutes longer, deep in thought.

What if she _could_ go home? She wondered how her family was doing. Did they miss her? Were they looking for her?

Finally, she got up and went into the bathroom. She freshened up and relieved herself before meeting Slappy downstairs. He was leaning against the front door, tapping his foot impatiently. Amy couldn't help but notice he looked kind of cute when he was pouting...

_No! Bad thought, Amy, bad thought! He is NOT cute!_

"Finally," Slappy muttered, grabbing her wrist. "For a girl, you sure take a lot of time to get ready."

"Oh, shut up."

He opened the door and pulled Amy outside. It was beginning to snow and the cold wind chilled Amy to the bone. She began to shiver violently.

When they reached a bus stop, Slappy stopped walking. He noticed Amy's hand was trembling.

"Cold?" He asked. Amy bit her lip and shook her head. She didn't want to appear weak in front of the guy she considered her enemy and kidnapper.

Slappy raised an eyebrow and shrugged off his jacket. He wrapped it around Amy's shoulders and folded his arms across his chest.

"T-t-thank you," she managed to get out, grateful for the small amount of heat in the zero-degree weather.

"Yeah, whatever," he grumbled. The cold began to bite through his thick clothes and he sighed.

A bus showed up minutes later. Amy and Slappy boarded it and took a seat in the way back. It was completely empty except for them and the driver.

Amy wrapped the jacket tighter around herself and sighed. She could smell a hint of cologne on Slappy's jacket and, though she would never admit it to him, she liked it. It was musky yet pleasant.

Slappy noticed her hugging the jacket to her body and smiling. A smile played on his lips.

_Adorable_, he thought._ For a feisty girl, she has her adorable moments._


	7. Chapter 7

**Haven't said this for a few chapters, but you all know it:**

**I don't own anything. R.L. Stine owns Goosebumps.**

**Chapter 7 - Emotion**

Amanda walked around Dark Falls, taking in the scenery.

_This place doesn't really change_, she noted. _Everything is still the same as when Josh and I lived here._

She walked through the vegetation and came to the cemetery, noting all the names inscribed on the gravestones. She remembered when she and Josh discovered that all their friendly neighbors were actually dead. Well, _living_ dead was a better way to describe them.

Amanda looked up to see the sun shining through the thick growth above her. Trees, vines, and leaves surrounded her and made the entire atmosphere seem more summer-y.

_For a place filled with death, Dark Falls sure is teeming with life..._

"Hey, you're that girl," a voice said behind her. Amanda turned around to see a few of the other kids she and Josh encountered. They were wearing the same clothes. One boy held a baseball mitt and a ball. Another boy held a metal bat.

"Hello," Amanda said meekly. She wasn't sure what to do.

_Should I run back to Dead House, or... ?_

"Do you want to play baseball with us?" a girl asked. "We're going to play at the school."

_Just like when Josh and I were here,_ Amanda thought.

"Ah, no thanks," she replied hastily. "I've got to go."

She hurried away from the cemetery and back towards Dead House.

_So much for alone time..._

It suddenly occurred to her... Ray was asleep. If she could somehow get out of Dark Falls, she'd be able to get home.

Excitement rose up in her stomach.

_I'll get to see Mom, Dad, even Josh! Okay, if I could just make sure I'm not being watched..._

Amanda carefully took in her surroundings. The entire town was eerily silent. She was sweating in Ray's clothes; even though it was winter where she lived, Dark Falls was still stuck in a hot summer.

_The coast is clear._

She made herself look as innocent as possible and began to wander towards the road that led out of Dark Falls. Amanda walked for a good couple of meters before turning around.

No one was there. She was still in the clear.

She continued walking. The heat of summer began to fade into a dull warmth, and then, into a slight chill. When the trees began to look dead and the path was filled with snow, Amanda felt herself shiver.

_Sheesh, it's freezing!_

Finally, Amanda broke into a sprint. The cold wind lashed at her face in an attempt to throw her back into the eternally-damned town of Dark Falls, but Amanda fought against it. She was just about to leave the icy woods when something sounded in the woods.

Amanda stopped walking and listened.

A yell broke the silence. Amanda shivered and began to sprint out of Dark Falls. Another yell ripped through the cold air.

"Hey!"

As she was running, she turned to see if anything was following her. Amanda's chest was heaving with every footfall.

Just as she was turning back around, she crashed into someone. She nearly stumbled back when arms wrapped around her waist.

"You didn't think it'd be _that_ easy to escape, did you?"

Amanda groaned and pressed her hands against Ray's chest. "Let me go, Ray."

He smiled. "Why?"

"Because I don't like you!" she snapped. "You just can't take a hint, can you? I don't love you, and I'll never be yours!"

Ray's smile faded. His eyes began to glow red with anger.

"You may not like me now, but you _will_ love me," he hissed, tightening his hold on her. Amanda gasped.

"Y-you're hurting me!"

He tilted her chin up and crushed his lips to hers. Amanda wrinkled her nose when Ray forced his tongue into her mouth.

Eventually, she began to kiss him back. Ray softened his grip and let his hands rest on the small of her back. Amanda sighed into the kiss and found herself wrapping her arms around his neck.

_Damn, he's good at this._

After what felt like an eternity, Amanda remembered who she was kissing and broke the kiss. She kept her eyes on the dirt road, refusing to look at Ray.

"Please look at me," Ray whispered, cupping her chin and forcing her to meet his eyes.

When Amanda saw the pain and tenderness in his eyes, she regretted what she'd said about never being his.

Secretly, she was starting to feel _something_ for him, but whether it was love or hatred, she didn't know.

But the feeling wasn't strong enough for her to try and be romantic with Ray.

Besides, he was dead and Amanda was alive. It would never work out.

Ray sighed and held her close. He rested his chin on her head.

"Someday," he mumbled. "You'll be mine."

Amanda shuddered.

She had a feeling that day would come sooner than she wanted.

* * *

Amy stared out the bus window. She was lost in her thoughts when Slappy nudged her.

"You're _really_ starting to get on my nerves," she growled, whipping around to glare at him.

Slappy rolled his eyes. "Awesome. Come on, it's our stop."

He yanked Amy from her seat and practically dragged her down the aisle and the bus steps. They stood in the snow for a few minutes before Slappy began to drag her into the woods.

"Slow down!" Amy barked. "I'm about to fall."

Slappy rolled his eyes and let go of her wrist. Amy rubbed her reddening wrist and followed him from a distance.

_Now's my only chance!_

She sprinted back towards where the bus had dropped them off. Slappy must have turned around because she heard footsteps behind her.

"Slave! Slave, get back here!"

Amy felt herself smile. She could just make out the road.

_Yes! Almost there..._

Amy's foot barely touched the worn pavement of the road when Slappy tackled her from behind. She yelped when her face hit the pavement. Her cheek rubbed against the rough surface and blood began to ooze from the wound. Her head hit the pavement so hard that she blacked out for a few minutes.

Slappy began to panic. "Amy? Amy, come on, get up! Get up!"

It took a few minutes for her to regain consciousness.

"What? Whatsa matter?" she slurred.

Slappy swore under his breath. "Great. You just _had_ to take off, didn't you? Now you've probably got a concussion. I swear, you're lucky I value you, or I'd... Well, I'd do something worse to you!"

Amy began to drift in and out of consciousness. She kept mumbling how her head was hurting.

With a sigh, Slappy scooped her up into his arms and began to carry her into Dark Falls.

**I hope you guys liked this chapter! After reading a few other Goosebumps fics, I'm beginning to hope that I'm keeping these characters in-character, if ya know what I mean.**

**Chapter 8 will be up soon.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 - Reunited**

Amanda couldn't sleep. Not like this, anyway.

Somehow, Ray found a mattress in decent condition and brought it up to Amanda's old room.

Or rather, _Ray's_ old room.

He covered it with blankets and quilts and even managed to find two pillows. The other dead residents of Dark Falls retreated to their own homes during the daylight hours.

When Amanda was brought back to Dead House, she was exhausted. All she wanted was to go to sleep for a few hours and dream; anything to escape her reality for a little while. But Ray was suspicious of her motives and insisted that he sleep next to her.

So, here she was, curled up on Ray's chest. He'd changed into a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt before he curled up next to her.

Amanda didn't want to fall asleep like this; as soon as Ray sat down on the bed, she pressed herself against the wall and tried to feign sleep. Ray sighed and simply pulled her into him, kissing her on the forehead before wrapping his arms around her.

Amanda tried to shift in an attempt to get more comfortable, but Ray tightened his hold on her.

"Stop moving so much," he said softly. "Just go to sleep."

"Do you _have_ to hold me?" Amanda asked dryly.

Ray sighed. He pulled her onto his lap and looked up at her.

Amanda blushed at their position. She tried to move off of Ray, but his hands rested on her hips and kept her there.

Staring into his blue orbs made her uncomfortable. "Ray, please."

"Please, what?"

"Can't I sleep on the floor or something?"

He smiled. "No way, that won't be good for your back. Just fall asleep here."

"But I -"

Ray shushed her and pulled her down onto his chest. Amanda began to relax when Ray began to hum to her.

_Why is he doing all this?_ she wondered.

Amanda was just about to fall asleep when there was a knock at the door.

He groaned. "What is it?"

"They're here!" Karen called.

Amanda came to her senses and crawled off of Ray. She sat against the wall and watched him get up.

"Okay," Ray called. "Tell them I'm coming."

He changed back into his usual suit and hat. Right before he left, he turned towards Amanda.

"I won't be long," he said, shooting her a wink. Amanda refused to meet his eyes.

Ray sighed and finally left. Amanda heard a click from the outside.

_Great. He locked me in. So much for trying to get out of here again._

Amanda got up and looked out the window. She could just make out the figure of a man carrying a girl.

She looked familiar, but before Amanda could get a better look, the man carried her into Dead House.

She knelt near the floor and pressed her ear to the floor.

She could just make out Ray's voice and another man's, but their conversation was muffled.

Amanda groaned and decided to lay down on the bed. She closed her eyes and let her mind drift.

It seemed to be the only fun she could have in this dead town.

* * *

"Amy knocked herself out," Slappy explained, shifting the unconscious girl in his arms. "Is there any way I could set her down while we check out the house?"

"Sure," Ray replied. "There's a room upstairs. My girlfriend is up there, probably sleeping. Just unlock the door."

He went out to the porch while Slappy carried Amy upstairs.

He unlocked the door and stepped in. Slappy noticed a brunette girl sleeping on a worn mattress.

He gently set Amy down next to her and left the room to meet Ray.

After a few minutes, Amy began to wake up. She groaned and raised a hand to her head.

"_Fuck_, my head is killing me... Slappy, what -"

Amanda was pulled from her daydreaming and sat up. "Amy?"

The raven-haired girl blinked the sleep out of her eyes. "Amanda?"

Amanda hugged her. "I thought you'd been kidnapped!"

Amy slowly hugged her back, her head still a bit foggy. "I was, in a way. What happened to you? Why are _you_ here?"

Amanda slumped against the wall and sighed. "Well, it's a long story."

"I think I've got time."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Again, I don't own anything. If I did, I'd probably screw things up :P**

**Don't be shy! Leave a review and tell me what you think! :)**

**Oh, and I just made up 'Pleasant Creek' because the books don't give a specific place where Amanda originally lived. So yeah...**

**Chapter 9 - Stories**

"... And that's when we moved to Pleasant Creek," Amanda finished, holding her knees to her chest.

Amy's lips parted in surprise. "Wow, I had no idea. That's pretty crazy. You wouldn't believe what happened to me."

Amy proceeded to tell Amanda all about how she got Slappy as a present when she was twelve, how he messed up her sister's painting and insulted the kids she was supposed to be performing for. By the time her story was done, Amanda looked shocked.

"You never told me."

Amy smiled. "Would you have believed me?"

"Well, probably not, but with the stuff that's happened to me, anything's possible."

They were both silent for a moment. They could hear Slappy outside. He seemed to laugh a few times before a door closed.

"The boys seem to be getting along," Amanda commented, glancing at the window.

Amy bit her lip. "So, you and the blonde guy, huh?"

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Please don't bring Ray up."

"Sorry. Um, he's kind of cute."

The brunette shot her friend a look and Amy held her hands up.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help you look at the bright side. At least he's cute."

"Slappy isn't?"

"Well... Um... I don't really know what to say about him. He gets on my nerves a lot."

This got Amanda's attention. "Really?"

Amy shifted. "He calls me 'slave' a lot and he's kind of mean, but sometimes he's sweet. I mean, he gave me his jacket when I was cold."

Amanda seemed to digest that. Amy realized what she'd said and hastily sputtered, "I-I don't like him, though!"

"O-oh, of course not!" Amanda reassured her. "Don't worry, I know. Um... I'm kind of in the same boat."

"Is Ray sweet?"

"Well, he has his moments when he's romantic. Like before you guys showed up; he kind of pulled me onto his chest and hummed to me. He's a really good kisser and -"

Amy smiled. "He kissed you? Amanda Benson, the girl who never had her first kiss, was kissed by her captor?"

Amanda blushed and looked down. "The night he kidnapped me, he kissed me."

"Aw!"

"What about you and Slappy, huh?" Amanda shot back. When Amy began to blush, she grinned.

Amy looked away. "Uh... Y-yeah. I kind of lied to you when we were fourteen, by the way."

"What do you mean?"

"I never kissed Joey."

Amanda's eyes widened. "No way. You were going on and on about him for a whole week!"

"Yeah, well... No."

"So Slappy was your first kiss?"

Amy bit her lip and nodded.

"Was he any good?"

The black-haired girl smiled and stared at the floor. "Kind of."

"Ray's really good. If nothing else, he's an amazing kisser."

There was a knock at the door. Amanda wanted to slap herself; instead of coming up with an escape plan, she just talked about Ray's ability to kiss!

_Ugh, I'm such an idiot!_

"Come on, Slave, it's time to go," Slappy said through the door.

Amy blushed again and stood up.

"Stay strong," she whispered, and left the room.

Ray stepped into the room a few minutes later. He stripped out of his clothes and put his hat on the floor. He got into bed.

"Amanda?"

"Yes?" she asked.

"Sleep up here."

She sighed and joined him. Ray wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his chest.

"I love you," he whispered.

Amanda blushed, but remained silent. After a few moments, she felt his breathing begin to slow.

She tried to move his arms off of her, but Ray simply tightened his hold on her.

With a sigh, Amanda gave up and simply laid there. She let her mind wander.

No matter where her thoughts went, however, they never strayed far from the dead young man sleeping beside her.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: After re-reading WtDH, I realized I made a few mistakes, lol. Sorry 'bout that! Hope you guys don't mind my mess up. Anywho, I hope you like this chapter!**

**I don't own anything. Mr. Stine is the lucky owner of the Goosebumps stories ;)**

**Chapter 10 - Games**

Slappy watched Amy as she napped on the worn bed. Her dark hair splayed around her, eyes fluttering with dreams, slightly-tanned skin bathed in sunlight.

She was beautiful. Much prettier than Lindy and Kris Powell, previous slaves of his, and that was saying something. The blonde twins were gorgeous; Slappy paid them a night visit to see how the years had been to them, and though he'd been pleased with their appearances, something told him that both girls weren't quite bride material.

They fought way too much and were constantly in competition with each other. He wouldn't have patience for a love triangle between them.

But Amy... She was much more than your average teenage girl, at least in his eyes.

Sure, she had her uptight wannabe-artist of a sister, and an obnoxious little brother, but she managed it well.

Slappy never could understand the concept of family, but Amy made it look easy. He always wondered why she didn't just say 'the hell with this' and leave them.

_Well_, he thought smugly. _No need to worry about the Kramers now. Amy's mine and she'll be staying here forever._

The girl began to stir. She opened her eyes and yawned.

"Finally," Slappy said. "I thought you'd never wake up."

Amy blinked. "Do you need me or something?"

Slappy smiled. "Actually, yes. Come here, Slave."

She hesitated. Slappy tapped his foot impatiently.

"Well? Are you going to stare at me all day or do as you're told?"

Amy blushed and stood up. Slappy admired her small frame before letting his eyes drift back towards her face.

She walked over to where he was sitting.

"Sit down."

Amy obliged. Her eyes were filled with curiosity.

Slappy leaned forward and kissed her. It was slightly awkward due to the angle, but lips met lips and a fire erupted between them.

Amy stiffened when Slappy began to deepen the kiss, moving forward to readjust their positions. His hands cupped her cheeks to give him more access.

Finally, she ripped her face from his.

"S-stop," Amy cried. "Please. I can't do this."

He looked genuinely surprised. "What's wrong?"

"T-this!" She sputtered, scooting away from him. "Y-you're just playing mind games with me, aren't you?"

Slappy raised an eyebrow. "Mind games? With you? Do you really think I'd go to all this trouble to play games with you, Slave?"

Amy looked weary. "Wouldn't be the first time."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Amy, I... I'm not good with... feelings, per se, but, um..."

_Damn it! Why does she have to make this so hard? Don't I do enough to show how I feel?_

"Um, I... I really like..."

"You like what?" Amy prompted. Her cheeks were beginning to turn pink.

_She's making this way too hard. If she thinks I'm going to be her little Prince Charming and carry her into the sunset, she's got another thing coming! Even though that doesn't sound too bad... Heh..._

"Maybe I _am_ playing mind games with you," Slappy sneered. "What of it? Don't question me, Slave. I'll let it go this time because I'm in a good mood, but next time there will be consequences."

Amy frowned. She swallowed the hurt feelings that had risen and put on a fake glare.

"Whatever. I'm going back to sleep."

Slappy left the room. He felt slightly embarrassed. He wanted to tell Amy that he liked her. That was the real reason why he kidnapped her. He couldn't get her out of his mind no matter what he did.

But... He wasn't the type of guy to just talk about feelings. After being evil for so long, warm feelings were just weird. The words 'I love you' didn't come easily.

Amy tried to go back to sleep, but she felt weird. What did she care if Slappy was playing mind games with her? She expected this from him.

One thing was for sure: she needed to toughen up.

Who knows what else Slappy had up his sleeve?


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Happy New Year, everyone!**

**Thought I'd update since it's a special occasion :) I assumed Lindy and Kris were eleven in the first book, hence the five year thing. When it comes to Slappy and his 'slaves', I think I'm just going to mention Amy and the twins. I hope you don't think I'm lazy or anything; I've only managed to get my hands on a copy of the first and second book. The third just didn't seem interesting to me.**

**There might be mentions of other characters later, we'll see how it goes ;)**

**I don't own anything.**

**Chapter 11 - Return**

When Ray awoke, the town had gone back to its usual weather. It was still hot and humid outside, but the sky was gray with rain clouds. It was rare for the sun to be out, but when it was, the trees provided an abundance of shade for the dead residents. When it was cloudy and rainy, everyone was able to hang outside.

He was pleased to find Amanda sleeping soundly in his arms.

Her long brown hair was messy and tangled. Her pink lips were parted slightly, and a peaceful expression rested on her features.

She was gorgeous.

Ray sat up slowly, trying not to disturb the sleeping girl, and got out of bed. He quickly changed into his clothes, not wanting Amanda to wake up and see him in only boxers.

Well, not yet at least. Ray smiled ruefully at the thought. Hopefully Amanda would come around someday and Ray wouldn't have to wear clothes around her.

He went downstairs and grabbed an apple. He brought it back upstairs and left it on the wooden chair.

While Ray didn't need sustenance, Amanda _did_. He'd been lucky; a nearby farm had lots of ripe fruit and vegetables for her if she got hungry.

"Ray?" Amanda began to wake up. Her eyes were just beginning to open when Ray kissed her forehead.

"Shh, Amanda. Go back to sleep. I won't be gone long."

"Mm... Okay.." She murmured, her voice thick with sleep. Ray ran his fingers through her hair, humming softly to lull Amanda into a deep sleep.

After a few minutes, she was asleep again. Reluctantly, Ray left the room, locking the door behind him.

He had a few things to take care of before he could return to the pretty girl in his room.

Slipping his hat on, he left Dead House.

* * *

Sixteen year-old Kris awoke with a start.

Her heart was racing. She couldn't remember the nightmare she'd had, but it was bad enough to make her jolt upright in her bed.

Kris looked over to where Lindy was sleeping. The girl hadn't stirred at her sister's terrified gasp.

She rolled her eyes. Lindy was always a heavy sleeper.

_That girl could sleep through an earthquake._

Something felt wrong, though. Kris had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, like something bad was going to happen.

She ran a hand through her long blonde hair. Over the years she let it grow out, and while it would never be as long as Lindy's, it was pretty long.

She realized how parched she felt and decided to go downstairs for a glass of water. She figured the heavy feeling in her stomach was hunger; a little water would help her throat and hold her stomach until morning.

Kris swung her legs over the edge of the bed and began to walk downstairs. The house was chilly this particular night. Kris returned to her room and retrieved a thin blanket to wrap around her shoulders. Perhaps wearing a spaghetti-strap top and a pair of cotton shorts wasn't the best choice for pajamas during winter.

As she entered the kitchen and retrieved a glass, she made her way to the sink. The glass was half-full when the lights suddenly flicked on.

Kris turned around to see a familiar orange-haired dummy sitting in one of the dining room chairs.

Although, he wasn't a dummy anymore.

He was human.

"M-Mr. Wood?" Kris stammered. "B-but you're dead! Lindy and I watched you get crushed by the steamroller!"

The boy grinned. "Well, now I'm back, and I've come to talk to you."

She leaned against the counter for support. Her legs were beginning to tremble.

"Why?"

Mr. Wood stood up and slowly approached Kris. She wanted to run out of the kitchen and scream for her parents, for Lindy, for anyone. But she was frozen with fear.

When Mr. Wood was standing only inches from her, he frowned.

"I'm very unhappy with the stunt you and your sister pulled," Mr. Wood said, folding his arms behind his back.

"And I'm quite unhappy with your disobedience. I warned you several times not to go against me, yet still you disobeyed me. I think that warrants punishment, don't you think?"

Kris tried to get her brain to work.

_I could stab him with a knife. That might buy me some time. I could run upstairs and get help._

Mr. Wood seemed to know what she was thinking because he smiled bitterly.

"Trying to harm me won't do any good, Slave. I don't have much patience tonight."

Kris tried to make herself look tougher. She forced her legs to stop trembling.

"Okay, so what did you come here to talk about?" she asked, hoping she sounded braver than she actually felt.

Mr. Wood was silent for a moment, deep in thought.

_Maybe if I edge towards the door_, Kris thought. _Maybe he won't notice._

But just as she took a tentative step to the side, Mr. Wood met her eyes.

"It's been a while, hasn't it? A lot can happen in five years."

Kris nodded, still uncomfortable with his close proximity. "A lot _has_ happened."

"You grew up."

She swallowed the lump that had made its way into her throat, preventing her from speaking. She didn't like the way Mr. Wood's eyes took in her body. Most boys usually looked at Lindy in that way.

While Lindy had been well endowed in many areas, including having a sense of humor and a charming personality, Kris had been the unfortunate twin. While Lindy developed nice curves, Kris was stuck with a boyish body, her breasts barely even fitting into A-cups while Lindy was already fitting into C-cups.

They still didn't get along much and Lindy enjoyed reminding Kris that she was the prettier, preferred twin.

Plus, that little incident in the auditorium hadn't exactly gained her popularity points. Kris had been shunned by her peers for years, and there were even rumors in the middle and high school that she had to deal with.

Lindy, however, was quite the social butterfly, getting invited to multiple parties, having dates every Friday night... Kris was extremely jealous. All she had was her friend Cody, it seemed, and he barely talked to her anymore after they entered middle school.

"Um..."

Mr. Wood seemed to snap out of his lustful trance and quietly cleared his throat.

"How did you turn human?" Kris asked, finally breaking the silence.

The boy smiled. "I have my ways. Where's Lindy?"

Kris couldn't explain it, but she felt a pang of jealousy at the mention of her sister.

It was _always_ about Lindy.

"Upstairs asleep," the girl growled. "If that's all you wanted to talk about, then I'm going back to sleep. You know your way out."

Just as she was about to leave, Mr. Wood stopped her. He grabbed her wrist.

"Wait, that's not what I wanted to talk about."

Kris raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then why did you need to ask about Lindy, huh?"

Realization dawned upon him.

_They're _still_ in competition with each other? Geez!_

"Why are you getting so defensive?"

"I'm not!"

Mr. Wood rolled his eyes. They were getting off-topic.

"Look, all I wanted to talk about was your punishment," he explained.

Kris suddenly looked terrified. Before she could say anything, he cut her off.

"Calm down, I'm not going to hit you or anything. But you're coming with me."

"W-what? I-I can't! I -"

But before she could say anything more, a strip of duct tape was placed over her mouth and she was thrown over his shoulder.

As Mr. Wood carried Kris out of the house and out of the neighborhood, Lindy stirred.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 - Rain**

Amanda sat next to Amy on the porch. It was damp outside and all day it had been raining on and off.

Both girls were bored out of their minds.

What were they supposed to do? Their captors were sitting in Dead House, discussing who-knows- what, and if either girl tried to run away, there'd be trouble. Neither girl felt like dealing with Slappy or Ray at the moment.

"Hey," Amanda said. "What'cha thinkin' about?"

Amy looked tired. "Thinking about my family, wondering what Jed and Sara are up to."

Amanda nodded, knowing exactly how the raven-haired girl was feeling. She missed her parents and Josh. She often wondered how they were doing.

Did they miss her? Did they file a missing person report already?

Amy sighed, leaning into the palm of her hand. "I'm also thinking about school. Some of the kids we used to hang out with, movie nights, stuff like that. I don't know if we're getting out of this, Amanda. I don't think we'll ever see our friends and families again."

Amanda nodded. That was exactly what she'd been thinking about these days.

"Same here," she mumbled. "I've kind of been thinking about our captors, though. For kidnappers, they aren't so bad."

Amy shot her a look of disbelief.

"What?!"

"No, no! Not like_ that_!" Amanda blushed. "All I mean is that we're allowed to talk, we can eat, we're able to sleep comfortably, and they don't force themselves on us. It could be worse."

"True," Amy replied. She yawned and leaned back on the worn wood.

"You seem really tired," Amanda noted. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just that type of day, you know?"

Amanda nodded, tapping her fingertips on the wooden step.

She was feeling a little energetic from running through the woods. Jogging always helped her clear her head, and she had been able to assess their situation a little better.

It wasn't_ that_ bad.

"Sooo..." Amanda trailed. "Anything new with Slappy?"

Amy rolled her eyes and stared at the ground. "No. You?"

The brunette shook her head and stared up at the sky. Raindrops were beginning to fall, completing the gloomy mood.

_It's almost as if the sky is crying,_ Amanda thought. The gray around her began to ruin her good mood.

"Want to take a walk?" Amy asked. "I just heard a door close. The boys are probably coming outside. I don't feel like dealing with Slappy right now."

"Sure," Amanda replied. "There's a path through the woods we can take."

The girls began to walk towards the thick woods that surrounded Dark Falls. Halfway in, it began to pour. Amanda and Amy had to run back to Dead House.

Well, they _tried_ to. Both were lost in the thick growth.

"How do we get out of here?" Amy asked, slapping a few low branches out of her way. The rain was beginning to soak her. Her clothes stuck to her body and branches poked at her arms and legs.

It wasn't pleasant.

Amanda wrung her hands, wishing she'd worn Ray's sweatshirt. No matter what either girl did, the rain soaked them through and through, and the woods seemed to get thicker.

Finally, after getting multiple scratches from branches, both girls made it out of the woods.

As they walked back to Dead House, they noticed the boys sitting on the porch steps.

"Where _were_ you two?" Slappy growled, foot tapping impatiently. "A few more minutes and we were going to look for you!"

Amy's expression seemed to darken and she stared at the ground. Amanda folded her arms across her chest in an attempt to get warm.

_I'd do anything for a nice, hot shower right now_, she thought, a shiver rippling throughout her body.

Ray seemed to notice because he beckoned for her to move forward. Amanda hesitated.

The blonde rolled his eyes and gave her a look.

With a sigh, Amanda approached him.

Wordlessly, Ray shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

Amanda pulled it around herself, grateful for the warmth it held.

She glanced at Slappy to see him eyeing Amy. Upon looking at Amy, she noticed that the girl's shirt was so soaked that her bra was showing.

Amy looked up and noticed the lustful stare that Slappy was giving her and immediately folded her arms across her chest. She blushed.

Slappy seemed to snap out of it because he grabbed her hand and yanked her along.

"Come on, Slave. It's almost time for lunch."

Ray rested a hand on Amanda's shoulder. She glanced at him.

"You probably want a shower," he said. "The water still works. You can take one, if you'd like."

Amanda smiled softly. "That sounds good. Thanks."

With that, he led her into the house.


	13. Chapter 13

**I don't own anything but the plotline ;3**

**Chapter 13 - Admittance**

"HEY! W-what are you doing?!"

Slappy blushed and tried to glare at the girl. "I-I just came in to check on you! Why are you freaking out?"

Amy pulled the shower curtain close to her body in an attempt to hide her naked form from the boy.

Slappy looked away, his cheeks reddening.

"You better not be looking at me!" Amy exclaimed, clutching the bunched-up curtain.

Slappy bit his lip. He'd already seen a little of what Amy had to offer when her clothes clung to her skin.

He was pretty pleased with her. Not only was she pretty, but sexy.

"Geez, Amy, relax. I'm not looking at you."

_Right now, I'm not, but who _wouldn't_ want to look at that body?_

Slappy's cheeks reddened even more at that thought.

Amy seemed to accept his answer because she disappeared behind the shower curtain and continued washing herself. Slappy put the toilet lid down and took a seat. He held his face in his hands and felt exhaustion begin to set in.

He wanted to talk to Amy about how he felt. He really wanted to tell her those three little words, the ones that would change this whole situation from kidnap to romantic runaway.

But even if Slappy could... Would Amy return his feelings? Would she reject him?

He realized he wasn't all that attractive and he could be a bit harsh sometimes, but that was just his style. Sometimes you had to be a bit harsh to make your way in the world... Right?

Slappy hated the way Amy's face darkened when she had come out of the woods. He wanted her to smile, the way that damned boyfriend of hers made her smile. He loved it when she was happy.

But could he ever make her feel happy? Slappy was created to cause trouble, not fall in love.

The sound of water being turned off brought the boy out of his thoughts. Amy wrung her hair.

"Um... Can you step out? I have to get dressed."

"You can change in front of me, Amy. It's not like I don't know what you look like."

The girl hesitated.

He can't be serious.

"No way."

"Amy, I know you're hungry. You can either change in here and go downstairs to eat, or you can stay in here with me for the rest of the day, hiding behind that shower curtain."

She didn't move.

Slappy sighed. "Well, I guess you don't want the macaroni and cheese I made. What a shame, too; it looked _really_ cheesy."

Amy felt her stomach rumble. Truthfully, she was starving; her breakfast had been an apple, and it didn't last long. She was hungry even before lunch.

Her stomach rumbled a few more times before her resolve broke. She peeked around the shower curtain to see Slappy with his chin resting in the palm of his hand. He looked bored.

"Um, can you turn around?"

"Just change already!" Slappy snapped. He was beginning to get hungry as well and he wasn't in a patient mood.

Amy groaned and stepped out, revealing her full figure to the redheaded boy. His anger faded immediately.

Amy rushed to pull on the clean clothes, desperate to hide herself from Slappy's lustful gaze.

When she had pulled her shirt on, she turned towards him. The boy stood and led her downstairs into the kitchen.

He made her a bowl of macaroni and cheese and handed it to her. Much to their happiness, it was still nice and warm. Amy dug in quickly; macaroni and cheese, even though it was considered a kid's dinner, was still one of her favorite foods.

When she finished, she brought her bowl and spoon to the sink. Slappy opened his mouth to say something, then closed it.

_Come on... It's not that hard to say it. I've seen other guys tell their girls how they feel. Why can't I do it?_

The dark-haired girl muttered a 'thank you' and began to leave the room when Slappy cleared his throat.

"A-Amy?"

She turned around, startled. "Yes?"

"Can you sit down for a moment?"

Amy obliged and took a seat at the table. Slappy stared at his hands for a moment before looking up.

"Look, I... I didn't mean what I said the other day, about playing mind games with you. I mean, that's what I'm _supposed_ to be doing, but... Um..."

"Why did you kidnap me?" Amy asked softly. "Was it just because you wanted to get married or because you don't want to be alone?"

Slappy stared, dumbfounded.

He _didn't_ want to be alone, but then again, he didn't want to be with just _anyone_.

"I mean, I kind of understand why you wouldn't want to be alone," she continued. "You weren't exactly the nicest to me, but I know a lonely person when I see one."

"Well, Amy, I don't... I don't know how to put this."

"Just come out with it. You can tell me."

The boy let out a frustrated sigh and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I think I kind of... _like_ you."

She blushed.

"A-and I know I'm not one of the most attractive guys in the world, but, um..."

Amy couldn't help it. She giggled.

Slappy glared. "Hey! I'm trying to be serious here! This isn't funny!"

"I know, I'm not laughing about that. It's just, you're not unattractive at all."

He looked confused. "Huh?"

She blushed and stared at her hands. "You're kind of... Cute."

The boy smiled. Butterflies filled his stomach at her compliment.

_She thinks I'm cute?_

"And when you're not acting all evil, you can be sweet," Amy continued.

Slappy began to turn red. His heart began to beat faster.

"I'm not supposed to feel like this," he muttered. "Is it normal?"

"Feel like what?"

"Warm inside. You know, all mushy and gooey and all that crud."

Amy smiled. "I think it's love. You really like me, huh?"

He could only nod.

Outside, they could hear Amanda.

"Amy? Hey, Amy!"

She bit her lip and looked away. "Well, we could try things out, if you want."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, as boyfriend and girlfriend. We could genuinely try things out."

Slappy nodded. "Sure."

Amy got up and approached him. She pecked him on the cheek before disappearing outside.

When he was sure she was gone, he lifted a hand to his cheek and sighed.

_What is that girl _doing_ to me?_

**Fluffalicious chapter is fluffy.**

**Read and review! :3**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Wow, I've been getting a lot of traffic on this story. I didn't expect a lot of people to read it 0.0**

**But I hope you guys are enjoying reading it! :)**

**To bananas are evil: lol your wish came true! I decided to spice things up a bit :P**

**To SideshowJazz1: As always, thank you for the lovely reviews! :)**

**Chapter 14 - Night**

After spending the day talking with Amy, Amanda returned to Dead House. The sun had begun to set and she was feeling tired from the day's events.

Walking, running in the rain, showering, then more walking... Plus, boredom always made her feel tired.

Even though the town was still relatively warm, it was beginning to get cold, and all Amanda had on was a camisole and a pair of shorts.

The front of the house still resembled a face with a darkened expression. It was pretty unsettling, but Amanda knew the threat in this town was not the house, but the residents.

She had nothing to fear. Unless, of course, Ray decided to stop acting generous.

Amanda shivered at the thought of his eyes glowing red with anger. She definitely didn't want to piss him off again.

The brunette girl stepped into the living room and noticed light coming from the kitchen. She walked in to see why that was the only lit room in the house.

"Ray?" she called softly.

Ray was leaning against the wall, staring out the window. He looked to be deep in thought.

Amanda noticed that he had changed while she was outside. Judging by his wet blond hair, he had showered while she was gone. He was wearing a T-shirt and sweatpants instead of the usual dark-colored suit and hat.

Amanda felt her heart sputter when she noticed the hungry look in his eyes.

But it wasn't a hunger for her blood.

Ray approached her until she was against the wall. He placed his hands on either side of her head and leaned in. Amanda's breathing hitched as his lips neared hers.

"W-what are you doing?" she asked.

The blond grinned. "I'm about to kiss you, silly."

Before Amanda could say anything else, Ray pressed his lips to hers. Amanda stiffened at first, but once he parted her lips and slipped his tongue in, she melted into him.

Ray wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her closer, and Amanda wrapped her arms around his neck to give him better access to her mouth.

Somehow, he ended up directing them towards a counter, and lifted Amanda onto the counter top.

Positioning himself between her legs, he moved his lips to her neck and began to nip at the tender skin.

Amanda gasped, but didn't make any move to stop him.

After finding a spot that made Amanda gasp rather loudly, he nipped and sucked on the area. When he pulled away, he smiled.

_Good. Now everyone will see that she's taken_, he thought, proud of the hickey he'd given her.

The brunette looked up at the blond through half-lidded eyes.

He knew she was tired, though, and brought her upstairs. Though he wanted to 'keep her up all night', he knew they weren't at that level in their relationship yet. He didn't want to pressure Amanda into anything she wasn't ready for.

Ray curled up on the bed with her and wrapped his arms around her. Amanda didn't protest, even though she was feeling conflicted.

This boy, one who had stalked her and threatened her family's life, was quickly growing on her. She was beginning to like him, and not just because she knew how mature he was.

He obviously knew how to make her feel good. Even though Ray was a weird combination of zombie and vampire, he wasn't such a bad guy. He could be sweet, and kind, and sometimes funny.

Amanda wasn't sure if she was feeling love or lust, but it was _some_thing.

And that scared her more than anything.

* * *

Waking up in the middle of the night was very unpleasant for Amy.

She was in a rather awkward position. Slappy was sleeping right next to her, arm wrapped around her body firmly, as if she were a teddy bear. He was asleep, but the expression on his face was troubled.

Amy tried to move out of his hold, but he tightened his grip.

"No... Don't.. leave..." she heard him mumble. "Need.. you..."

She blushed. Whatever Slappy was dreaming about, it must have been good to make him mumble in his sleep.

With a sigh, Amy closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but Slappy's next word made her feel wide awake.

"Amy.."

Two and two clicked. Slappy was dreaming about Amy leaving. And he was very troubled about it, even though he would never consciously admit it.

He had too much pride. It must have taken a lot to simply tell her that he liked her.

Amy found herself running her fingers through his auburn hair in an attempt to comfort him.

Slappy stirred at her touch, but didn't wake up. Instead, his face relaxed and he looked more peaceful than troubled.

The raven-haired girl felt butterflies begin to flutter in her stomach. He looked adorable when he wasn't terrorizing the world.

With a sigh, Amy let her eyes drift closed and tried to go back to sleep.

Slappy mumured her name once more before his sleep-talking stopped completely.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Feels like forever since I last updated, lol. I hope you guys like this chapter; I haven't had much time to write, but I managed to get a little time in last night. Thanks for all the lovely reviews! :)**

**By the way, if any of you have any ideas for this story, feel free to let me know! I have a pretty good idea where this story is going, but any twists and turns are welcome. ;P**

**Enjoy! :)**

**Chapter 15 - Talking**

Kris couldn't stand being here.

This weird cafe in Horrorland was filled to the brim with these weird creatures called 'horrors', many of which seemed to be a bit... Weird. Not only that, but there were a few humans here, too. Unfortunately for her, they didn't look too friendly, especially with all the piercings, dark clothing, and gloomy expressions they wore.

A group of girls in this cafe were whispering while glancing at her, occasionally breaking out into giggles.

Kris couldn't even think badly of them. Here she was in her tank top and pajama shorts and those girls were dressed in designer clothes. To say she felt ugly would be an understatement.

The blonde awkwardly shifted her gaze around the place. A band was playing jazz music, somewhat lightening up the atmosphere. Chatter and occasional laughter could be heard throughout the cafe.

Kris' gaze landed on a door labeled 'employees only', where Mr. Wood had vanished an hour before. He put her in a booth, mumbled he'd be back soon, and disappeared into the room beyond that door.

While Kris was curious and wanted to follow him, she didn't want to wander the cafe in her pajamas.

Especially since they were kind of revealing.

A boy approached her. He had a black lip ring and snakebites. Messy black hair fell over his eyes, but Kris could just make out two beautiful blue eyes.

"Want to dance?" he asked with a smile. "I couldn't help but notice you're all alone over here. What's a pretty girl like you doing all by yourself in a place like this?"

Kris blushed. She played with her fingers.

"Well... Um..."

"Get lost, kid, she's with _me_," a voice growled. Kris looked up to see Mr. Wood glaring at the pale boy.

The boy held up his hands in surrender and quickly backed off, retreating in the opposite direction.

Kris looked up at the now-human boy in front of her.

"Was that necessary?"

Mr. Wood nodded and sat next to her. "I didn't like the way he was looking at you. Only I can look at you that way."

The blonde rolled her eyes and slumped in her seat. If she didn't have bad memories or know Mr. Wood, she'd just assume she was on a date that wasn't going too well.

"Anyway, are you hungry?" Mr. Wood asked. "They don't offer much for humans, but I can order you a glass of water and a cold sandwich."

Kris scowled. "No, I'm not hungry. Is that why you kidnapped me? To bring me to a run-down club and offer me food?"

Anger flashed in Mr. Wood's eyes, but it quickly changed into amusement. A small smile formed on his lips.

It made the girl feel uneasy. "What?"

"You've got quite a mouth on you."

Kris gave him a funny look. "I'm starting to think I should have let you take Lindy instead of me."

Mr. Wood laughed. "Your sister? Lindy _was_ always prettier than you, and talented, and so on. I'll admit that. Maybe I _should_ have taken her instead of you."

Even though she didn't like him that much, his words still got to her, still ate at her self-esteem.

The pain must have showed on her face because Mr. Wood quickly composed himself.

"I won't lie, Kris, Lindy is better than you in many ways," he said. "But she isn't _you_. She doesn't have the heart that you do. You're a lot fiercer than she is, and unlike her, you see things for _what_ they are, rather than what you _want_ to see."

Some of the pain went away, but Kris was still feeling slightly hurt.

Sure, maybe her personality was more vibrant than Lindy's, but she wasn't pretty.

Boyish form. Limp blonde hair. Small, barely-there breasts.

No sex appeal whatsoever.

Kris went to turn away from the boy when he grabbed her hand.

"I'm not finished speaking."

She rolled her eyes, but returned her attention to him.

"You do have a certain look about you, too. Lindy... I can only imagine what she looks like. She's probably drool-worthy. You two are twins, but she's always had an advantage over you. Still, though, she may be a model, but you've got that adventurer type of look. You know, like a female Robin Hood."

Kris didn't know whether to feel insulted or flattered.

Mr. Wood seemed to pause for a minute. "I don't know. You're pretty in your own way, I guess is what I'm trying to say. I'm not good with this romantic mushy-gooey talk."

"No one really finds me attractive, though," Kris stated. She wasn't fishing for compliments; she was genuinely curious.

"You could have taken Lindy and not me," she continued. "If you think she's such a goddess, then why not take her? I don't understand. If she's got so many advantages over me, then why not choose _her_?"

The boy bit his lower lip, deep in thought.

"I'd rather tell you in private," he finally said. "It's not something I'd want other ears to hear."

Kris opened her mouth to protest, but Mr. Wood silenced her by holding up his hand.

"Look at the menu and order something. You need to eat something before we get back to our hotel room. I don't need you waking me up and whining about being hungry."

She groaned, but ordered a sandwich as well as a glass of water.

Later, Mr. Wood led Kris back to their hotel room.

* * *

As Kris plopped down on the bed, Mr. Wood made sure to lock the door. He didn't want Kris to escape him while he was sleeping.

Kris placed her hands over her face, rubbing the exhaustion out of her eyes.

"Hey."

She looked up and immediately, lips crashed onto hers and she was pressed to the bed.

Above her was Mr. Wood, kissing her quite passionately. His eyes were closed and eventually, Kris let hers flutter shut.

When they both parted, Kris was sort of in shock.

_Did he really just kiss me?_

"The reason why I chose you," Mr. Wood mumbled, pushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Is because you're really hot. You've got just as much sex appeal as Lindy does, but you've got brains, too. _That_ is why I chose you over her."

Kris blinked. She was speechless.

Before she could open her mouth to reply, Mr. Wood's lips were on hers again.

Somehow, she didn't mind.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Feels like forever since I last updated. So, here ya go! :)**

**I don't own anything :/**

**Chapter 16 - Chance**

Slappy awoke to a gloomy, cloudy sky. He groaned and opened his eyes.

Immediately, he began to panic.

Amy wasn't laying beside him.

Slappy rushed to get up, not even bothering to dress himself. He raced downstairs, and the sweet smell of pancakes greeted him.

"Huh?"

He made his way into the kitchen. Relief washed over him and he leaned against the archway to slow his breathing.

Amy was in front of the stove, cooking pancakes. Not only that, but she was humming to herself.

It was the prettiest tune Slappy ever heard. He took a seat at the kitchen table.

"Good morning."

Amy turned around and offered him a warm smile.

"Hi."

He leaned into the palm of his hand. Though he went through a bit of trouble to find her this morning, it was worth it.

Anything was worth seeing Amy smile like that.

"You're up early," Slappy noted. "What's up?"

"I got hungry," Amy replied, returning her attention to the pan in front of her. She flipped the pancake once before shutting the stove off. "Not only that, but I figured you'd be hungry, too. So I made breakfast."

She grabbed a clean plate from one of the cabinets and filled the plate up with soft, fluffy pancakes. Amy poured a small amount of syrup on top and stuck a fork at the top. She handed it to Slappy and shot him one of her perfect smiles again.

"Hope you like it."

Slappy took a tentative bite before closing his eyes.

Not only was she perfect, but she knew how to cook.

_Amazing._

Amy made herself a plate and began to eat. When both were finished, Amy tried to take Slappy's plate to the sink, but he stopped her.

"No, let me," he offered. "You cooked. It's only fair that I clean."

Both were shocked at his words. The over-controlling dummy never, ever offered to do any type of chores.

Amy didn't protest, though. She thanked him and went upstairs to get ready for the day.

* * *

Amanda woke up to find herself cuddled up to Ray's bare chest.

She blushed and gently untangled herself from his hold.

Much to her surprise, she was able to move his hand from her upper arm. Amanda rolled onto her side and wrapped the blanket closer around her body. She was just about to fall back asleep when she felt Ray press himself against her.

"Hey."

Amanda sighed. "Hi."

Memories of last night's makeout session caused butterflies to well up within her stomach.

She felt Ray run his fingers through her tangled hair.

"I'm just wondering," she stated. "Why did you kiss me last night?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it."

Amanda blushed and turned to face him.

"I did, it's just... You've never kissed me like that before."

Ray's expression relaxed. "I _really_ like you, Amanda. I know you're not really interested in me, especially since I'm undead, but... I'm kind of hoping you'll at least give me a chance."

The brunette thought about his words.

She was still unsure.

As if he sensed her thoughts, Ray sat on top of her, straddling her waist.

"Do I need to convince you?" he whispered, his lips mere inches away from hers.

Amanda felt her cheeks warm.

Taking that as a 'yes', Ray leaned down and began to kiss her. It started off slow and gentle, but quickly changed to passionate and hungry.

Flames danced between them as their tongues fought a neverending war for dominance. Ray was surprised that Amanda was such a good kisser. He knew she'd never had a boyfriend before and he knew she was a virgin in more ways than one.

The kiss broke a few times to allow Amanda to breathe. She was panting.

"All I want is one chance," Ray whispered, cupping her cheeks. "One chance to show you that I love you. One chance to show you everything that I'm capable of."

Amanda blushed again. "Okay. One chance, but if you mess up..."

"I won't. I promise."

She offered him a small smile and they began to kiss again.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: For those of you who are wondering, I'm combing the book universes with the show universes.**

**Sorry! I know it's been a while since my last update. But I've got two chapters for you today :D**

**I don't own anything.**

**Chapter 17 - Affection**

Kris couldn't help but smile when she woke up. Sunlight shone through the window next to the bed.

Judging by the way Mr. Wood groaned when the light hit him, sunlight was a rare occasion in Horrorland.

"Good morning to you, too," Kris muttered under her breath. She got up and grabbed some clean clothing Mr. Wood had bought her. Kris went to the bathroom to wash up for the day. When she returned to the room, Mr. Wood was just waking up.

"Hey, you're finally up," she commented, running a hand through her wet blonde hair. "I was wondering if we could go downstairs for breakfast."

He blinked. "Sure. Let me get dressed, all right?"

"Okay."

Kris began to walk towards the bed. She wanted to make the covers neat and began to pull the comforter back up to the pillow.

Mr. Wood went into the bathroom and pulled on a clean suit. He ran a comb through his wild hair and returned to the bedroom. He didn't need to brush his teeth; he was human, yes, but not completely.

Kris was just finishing making up the bed.

"Ready?"

She nodded and they both went downstairs.

"You know, I was thinking," Mr. Wood started, when they finally got to the kitchen. "It's nice here in Horrorland, but we should find a quiet place to settle."

Kris went through some of the cabinets until she found a fairly new box of Fruit Loops.

"Where would we go?" Kris asked.

Mr. Wood took a seat at the table. "There's a place that never sees the sunlight. It's called Dark Falls. I figured we could temporarily stay there until I find something more suitable. The people there are pretty creepy, but I hear they'll stay away if you give them enough warning. We've got a lot of money, so we can pretty much do whatever we want, but I figured you might like a somewhat normal setting instead of monsters and unfriendly people."

Kris mulled over his words before nodding.

"Okay. I guess we can go there."

He grinned. "Good. Now, back to what we were discussing last night..."

The girl's cheeks grew pink.

* * *

Amanda and Ray walked through the woods, holding hands. The sky was grey with clouds and the smell of rain hung in the air, but the two teens didn't care.

They were spending time together.

Amanda wasn't sure why she was giving Ray a chance, or why she even agreed to spend time with him in these woods. But she wasn't complaining; when Ray wasn't acting scary or possessive, he was a pretty nice guy. Just like when Amanda first met him and assumed the entire town was filled with humans instead of zombie-vampire hybrids.

Besides, she liked holding his hand. It made her feel... weird, but in a good way. Butterflies welled up within her stomach whenever Ray was near.

Somehow the bright brunette was falling for the dead boy, and fast.

Thoughts of her family and her old life were beginning to fade away. Amanda's thoughts revolved around Ray, oddly enough.

She wasn't sure if she was falling in love or if these feelings were forced. Ray was a smooth talker; maybe he had convinced her that she loved him and that's what these feelings were: fake.

The two came to the amphitheater that Amanda and Josh found years ago, where all those people were talking and hissing about their hunger for blood.

It was completely empty.

Ray sat down on an old wooden chair and pulled Amanda onto his lap.

She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. Ray began to run his fingers through her hair.

"I love you," he whispered.

Amanda nuzzled her nose against his neck. She smiled when she heard him inhale sharply.

Ray turned her around so that she was straddling his waist. To surprise him, Amanda pressed her lips against his and then, just when he was beginning to kiss her back, she pulled away.

The blonde boy pouted. "Hey! Don't tease me like that."

Amanda laughed. "But it keeps things interesting."

Ray grinned and they started to kiss again. It was about to become heated when a twig snapped loudly. The two teens pulled away from each other and looked around. Ray growled in warning and held Amanda close.

"Chill, would you? It's just Amy and me."

Slappy stepped out from behind a tree, Amy holding his hand. The girl wasn't fighting him, much to Amanda's surprise. She didn't know Amy and Slappy were trying out a relationship of their own.

Ray relaxed, but didn't loosen his hold on the girl in his lap.

Slappy sat down with Amy. She leaned against him and a small smile tugged at Slappy's lips.

Both boys were definitely doing well. They both had the girlfriends they dreamed of and nothing could change that.

At least, they _figured_ nothing could change that.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 - Contemplating**

Josh Benson sat on his bed, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

_Where the hell could Amanda have gone? This isn't like her... It's been almost a month and she hasn't come home. Where is she?!_

Indeed, it had been nearly a month since Amanda went missing. No one knew how or why she was gone.

_Did she run away?_ Josh thought, then, with a bit of sadness: _did I do something to cause this? Did I do something to make Amanda upset?_

Search parties combed through the nearby woods, the police worked day and night to find the brunette girl, and nothing had been found. No fingerprints, no signs of a struggle, nothing.

Amy was gone, too. There was a possibility that the two girls ran away together, but Josh didn't think they would. Amy had a great life; she was pretty, popular, and she seemed like she had an okay relationship with her family.

Amanda was the same way. She had a good life here; why would she run away?

Josh didn't know what to do. His parents were a mess; his mother was always crying and his father was just silent.

Mr. and Mrs. Kramer were even worse. Mr. Kramer became severely overprotective of Jed and Sara. Mrs. Kramer went into a weird catatonic state. She refused to talk to anyone besides the police and her own family. All day, she sat in Amy's room and just stared out the window. No one, not even Jed or Sara, could coax her out. The woman wasn't eating much.

There was a knock on his bedroom door. Josh got up and opened it.

Sara and Jed stood before him. Sara's eyes were rimmed red, signs that she'd been crying recently, and Jed just looked sad.

"I'm glad you guys could make it," Josh said, gesturing for them to come in. "I don't know where our sisters are, but wherever they disappeared to, I don't think they went willingly."

Sara sat on the bed. "What do you mean?"

"Amy and Amanda were both happy here," he explained. "They had friends and they were both doing good in school, right? I mean, Amanda was. I think Amy was, too."

Jed nodded. Josh began to pace.

"This whole thing just doesn't feel right to me. Amanda would never run away. I mean, she's always so happy and I never saw her depressed or anything."

"Amy's the same way," Sara piped up. "She never acted like she was depressed. She was rarely at home because she was out with friends. I thought she was happy."

"Well, she wasn't happy with that dummy," Jed said, leaning against the wall. "Remember that? What was his name..."

"Slappy," Sara supplied. "And yeah, but he was just a dummy. It's not like he could kidnap her."

Josh blinked. "Huh?"

Jed and Sara explained to Josh what had transpired before the Bensons moved in. They explained how Slappy got Amy into trouble and how they helped her defeat him.

Sara looked nervous. "You don't think we're crazy, do you?"

Josh shook his head. "No. I've got a story of my own, actually."

He proceeded to tell them what happened in Dark Falls, before they moved to Pleasant Creek.

When he finished his story, Jed was in awe.

"Sounds kind of cool, dude."

"Trust me, it wasn't." Josh suppressed a shudder. "Anyway, we've got to find Amy and Amanda. I've got a strong feeling that they're still alive."

Sara bit her lip. "We could search the woods and the graveyard. A lot of kids go there to hang out.

Maybe there are clues there."

It was a chilly Saturday morning, but that didn't stop the three teens from making the long trek to the graveyard.

They checked every tombstone and even began to make their way into the woods when Jed began to shout.

"Hey, guys! I found something!"

Josh and Sara ran to where he was. Jed held up a light blue scarf with a snowflake pattern.

Josh immediately grabbed it out of his hands. The scarf was tattered and wet, but Amanda's scent lingered on it.

"That's Amanda's, isn't it?" Sara asked. The boy nodded, holding the scarf close to his chest.

"She'd never leave this behind. Someone must have tried to snatch her and she put up a fight. Amanda would go nuts if she ever lost this thing. Someone kidnapped her."

Jed shifted from one foot to the other. "What about Amy? What do you think happened to her?"

_That's a good question_. They began to walk back to Josh's house.

They each had a cup of hot cocoa and tried to think about the black-haired girl.

It was clear that Amanda was taken somewhere, but Amy's situation was a bit trickier.

"Maybe one of those punks from school took her and he's holding her hostage," Jed said, glaring into his cup. "If that's the case, I'll beat the snot out of him!"

"I don't think it's anyone from school," Josh replied, sympathizing with the boy. He couldn't wait to beat the crap out of whoever had taken Amanda.

There was no 'if' when it came to finding her. Josh knew that they would; he wouldn't rest until they found her and brought her home.

"I have a theory," Sara muttered. Both boys turned their attention to her.

"Amy and I aren't very close, but the day she disappeared, I thought I heard her talking to someone outside. It sounded like a boy, but his voice was familiar. It sounded like Slappy."

Jed and Josh shared an uneasy glance.

Sara sighed. "I don't know if it was him, but I know his voice. I can't forget the time he lived with us no matter how much I try. He must have taken Amy, though I don't know why. My sister's a bitch when she wants to be. She knows how to fight."

"Maybe she left something behind," Josh suggested. "Maybe during the scuffle, she left behind footprints or something."

They were silent. Jed, Josh, and Sara exchanged uneasy glances.

"They plowed our driveway, so any footprints Amy might have left behind are gone," Jed said. "But I think it's safe to say that we know who kidnapped Amy. What's important now is to find out where he took her."

Josh nodded. He looked at the scarf that was currently drying on top of the heater.

"I think I might know who took Amanda. Someone very clingy, someone who was always looking at my sister. And I think I might know where she is."

"Let's go there," Sara suggested. "I'll go anywhere if it means finding one of the girls. If we find Amanda, she might know where Amy is."

Jed nodded in agreement. Josh stood up and began to pace.

"All right, here's what we'll do..."


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Sorry for the much-delayed update! Haha, life got in the way :P But I'll be able to update more often now that exams and stuff are over. Hope you guys like this chapter! I know it's rather short, but please bear with me. :D**

**Chapter 19 - Trip**

It didn't take long for Josh to figure out plans to get to Dark Falls.

Even though he was scared out of his mind to even think about that weird town, he knew he'd have to brave it for Amanda's sake.

Besides, they'd simply go in, get Amanda, and return to Pleasant Creek. No sweat.

Sara offered to drive, since she was of legal age, and all three of them had come up with an explanation for their parents.

Josh was going to tell his parents that he wanted to spend the night at the Kramer house and Jed was going to tell his own parents that he wanted to spend the night at the Benson house. Sara was simply going to say that she was going to a party.

When night finally fell, all three met up at the graveyard. Jed brought a flashlight and a few matches, just in case the flashlight went out. Sara was bundled up in a thick winter coat, but Jed and Josh were dressed in thin jeans, sneakers, and light jackets. They were freezing their butts off, but they knew if they had to make a run for it, it'd be much easier with light clothes.

Besides, the two boys would be the ones to search the entirety of Dark Falls. Sara agreed to be their lookout.

Josh got into the backseat of Sara's car.

"You guys ready?" he asked, grateful for the blasting heat.

Jed nodded. Sara looked nervous, but she nodded as well.

With that, they began the drive to Dark Falls.

* * *

Lindy stared at the bed opposite of hers.

It had been an entire week since Kris's disappearance and things had gone downhill. Her parents were desperate to find the missing girl, calling the police, organizing search parties, putting up posters. Lindy helped them as much as she could; even though she didn't always get along with Kris, she never wished harm on her sister. She was even kind of jealous of her, though she'd never admit that.

Lindy sighed. School hadn't been much fun. Hardly anyone noticed Kris's absence, which was pretty sad. The worst part was that without her sister, Lindy felt alone. Sure, she had a whole bunch of friends, but seeing a family member, someone she could actually confide in, was kind of comforting.

Without her sister there, it just felt weird.

Downstairs, the front door opened and in stepped Mr. and Mrs. Powell. Exhaustion was evident on their faces.

Lindy rushed to greet them.

"Mom, Dad! Any luck?"

They both shook their heads. Mrs. Powell's face scrunched up in pain and she began to sob. Her husband wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"There's nothing more the police can do," Mr. Powell said. "All we can do now is pray that Kris finds her way home."

Lindy returned to her room.

_Kris would never just give up and run away,_ she thought._ I mean, things weren't _that_ bad for her... Were they? Maybe I was a bit too harsh on her.._

The blonde waited until her parents were asleep before she bundled up and went out into the night to look for her lost twin sister.

Oddly enough, halfway down the block, Lindy noticed an earring sitting in the mud. It looked like one of the earrings from Kris's junk jewelry collection.

As she picked it up and examined it, she realized two things.

One: Kris was very careful when it came to her jewelry collection. She'd never lose something as precious as an earring. There was no way Kris would just leave this behind.

Two: Kris hadn't run away. She was taken by someone. Kidnapped.

The million-dollar question, however, was _who_ kidnapped her?


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20 - Suspicion**

Amanda giggled. "Ray! Stop that!"

He smirked and continued to kiss her neck, occasionally sucking on the hickey he gave her only a few days ago. He enjoyed making Amanda squeal and laugh, especially if it involved touching.

The girl on his lap began to yawn. Ray glanced at the clock above the oven and realized it was pretty late.

"Do you want to go upstairs?" he asked.

Amanda nodded. "Sure."

Ray let her stand up and stretch. Together, they had spent the entire hour sitting in the kitchen. What started as a makeshift dinner date became a heavy makeout session.

Amanda took his hand and they went upstairs. Amanda changed into a pair of shorts and an old T-shirt.

Ray was about to change into more comfortable clothes as well when a disturbance overcame him.

Someone was entering Dark Falls.

Instead of letting Amanda know there was something up, he settled down next to her and stroked her hair until she fell asleep.

Ray made sure Amanda was in a deep sleep before he left the house. He didn't bother going to wake Slappy; no doubt the dummy knew something was up. One didn't move into Dark Falls and not know when someone entered. You could feel the change in the atmosphere.

Slowly, he crept towards the entrance. He hid behind a tree just in time to see a car pulling in.

Ray squinted to see who the driver was, but it was too dark. The car drove past him and stopped once it reached Dead House.

He watched as three people stepped out of the car.

He smirked when he realized one of them was Josh, Amanda's younger brother.

_This will be fun_, he thought smugly, and moved towards the house Slappy was staying in.

**A/N: Short chapter is short. I'm sorry, you guys. I promise, next chapter will be longer. I'm currently involved in a lot of writing projects, so that's why I haven't updated in so long. The next chapter should be up in roughly a day or two, so be on the look out.**

**Review, please! :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 - Search**

Slappy was brewing a cup of coffee when Ray appeared in the living room archway. He had a smug look in his eyes. The dummy cocked an eyebrow.

"What? You get lucky with Amanda or something?"

The blonde nearly laughed. "No. We've got guests."

"Anyone you know?"

"Amanda's little brother. A tall girl and a boy that look like Amy."

Slappy went to look out the window. He could just make out the silhouettes of a tall girl and a relatively short boy. When they turned around, he growled under his breath.

"Amy's siblings. I should have known they would come looking for her."

Ray shot him a look. "Yeah. I'm guessing you're not friends with them."

Slappy poured hot coffee into his mug. "Good guess."

"I've got an idea to get them out of here. There's no doubt in my mind that they're looking for the girls."

"Shoot."

Ray explained what was on his mind. Slappy grinned.

"All right. I'll meet you outside."

He set down his mug and went upstairs to lock Amy in her room. She was in a deep sleep, so there was no need to worry about her waking up too soon.

Ray eased into Dead House and locked Amanda in her room. By now, the kids had started their search.

Ray was nearly caught by Josh; if that flashlight hit him, he'd be in trouble.

* * *

"Amanda?" Josh called. "Amanda, if you're here, please come out. It's me, Josh."

Behind him, Sara and Jed moved their flashlights this way and that, trying to find any signs that the girl was here.

If Amanda wasn't here, then he wasn't sure where she'd be.

He could just barely make out the stairs that led upstairs. Reluctantly, Josh ascended them. He peeked into his parents' old room, the bathroom, and his old room.

_Nothing_, he thought dejectedly. Another room caught his eye.

_Maybe... No, she probably won't be, but still.._

He tried to open the door. Unfortunately, it was locked. Jammed, actually.

Josh wrapped his hand around the rusted knob and pushed the door. He put all his weight into it.

Inside, he could hear movement and a soft groan.

"Amanda?"

"Josh?" Her voice was muffled by the thick wood of the door. Josh breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you okay? I'm gonna get you out, I promise, just let me -"

"Not a good idea, _Benson_," a voice hissed.

The boy spun on his heel to see nothing but darkness. He looked around, desperately searching for the owner of the voice.

He had a bad feeling in his gut.

Amanda, on the other hand, was already getting up and walking towards the door. She tried to open the door, but it was locked. She knocked on the door.

"Josh? Is that really you?"

His focus returned to the matter at hand. "Yeah, I'm here. I'm going to get you out of here, Amanda."

Josh went towards the door and went to try to open it again when he felt a heavy feeling overcome him. A dark feeling seeped into the house. It was as if death himself had entered.

Suddenly, it felt cold. It was always warm in Dark Falls, somewhat humid as well, but now it felt like it was below freezing.

A cold hand gripped Josh's shoulder. When he was turned around, his eyes widened in fear.

Ray grinned, showing off his long, sharp fangs. His eyes glowed red.

It was like something out of a horror movie.

"You shouldn't have come here, Benson."

* * *

Jed stepped out of one of the many decaying houses.

He sighed. _Still no Amy._

He approached Sara's car and got in. He took a seat for a few minutes and rested against the leather seat.

"Any luck?" Sara asked. He shook his head.

"I've checked two houses so far. There are roughly ten more. I'm going to check as many as I can. I'm not sure if Josh found Amanda yet, but we promised we'd split up."

"I keep seeing something weird in that house," Sara said, pointing towards a house across from what seemed like the main house of the town. "It's like there's someone pacing in there."

Jed nodded and got out of the car, determination refueling him.

He hurried towards the house Sara pointed out and he got in with ease. He flashed his flashlight around, not seeing anything out of the ordinary.

A creeping chill ran up his back and the hairs stood up on Jed's neck.

Jed walked into the kitchen and saw nothing but a plain table and chairs, an oven, a fridge, and a row of counters and cabinets.

There, sitting on one of the chairs, was a dummy. His green eyes glowed eerily in the flashlight's beam and he looked almost alive.

Jed glared at it.

"Where's Amy?" he growled. "I'm not stupid; I know you're really alive and you can hear everything I'm saying, Slappy. Where is my sister?"

Before his very eyes, the doll turned human almost as if someone had flicked a switch. Slappy smoothed his hair back before grinning at the shorter boy.

"I'm sorry, kid, I don't know what you're talking about." His tone was dripping with sarcasm.

Jed lost it. He grabbed the now-human dummy and shoved him against the counter. He held him up by his shirt collar.

"Where the hell is my sister?" he yelled. "Answer me!"

Slappy's eyes glowed in warning. "Hands off, kid. I'm warning you."

"Tell me where Amy is and we won't have a problem."

"I told you, I don't know where she is."

"Liar!"

Jed's fist flew towards the orange-haired boy's face, but Slappy caught it, and twisted his arm. Jed hissed in pain.

"Let's get one thing straight," Slappy growled, eyes locked on Jed's. "I don't care about what happens with your sister. She's not here."

"I'm not stupid! I know she's here. Who else would kidnap her, out of all the girls in our neighborhood?"

"I don't know, some pervert who likes to kidnap underage girls?" Slappy rolled his eyes. "Seriously, kid, you've got the wrong guy."

"Jed?"

Both boys turned to the doorway. There, standing in an oversized white shirt, was Amy. Her black hair was messy and her eyes were wide.

And that's when all hell broke loose.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Hey! Just wanted to give a great big thanks to all you reviewers who like this story! Seriously, it means a lot :D Thank you so much, CheekyMonkeeeey, for the lovely review, and thank you to SideShowJazz1 for always leaving encouraging reviews ^_^ Also, thank you to each guest who reviews.**

**Love you guys, and here ya go! Things are just getting started with this story!**

**Chapter 22 - Agreement**

"How did you get out?" Slappy growled. He cursed himself when Amy winced.

She held up a bobby pin. "Picked the lock. Why did you lock me in?"

Slappy remained quiet. There was no way Amy would forgive him if he told her why he locked her in.

He didn't want to lose her. Not again.

Amy, however, was much smarter than she looked.

"Were you... were you trying to keep me from my family?" Her voice was quiet, almost sad, and it tore Slappy's dark heart in two.

Jed shot him a nasty glance.

"You're a dirty liar," he spat, and ran to Amy. He hugged his older sister tightly.

Amy could feel warm prickles behind her eyes. She wanted to cry; she had missed her family so much.

Jed stopped hugging her and grabbed her wrist.

"Come on!"

He practically dragged her out of the house, Slappy hot on his heels.

"Hey! Get back here! She's mine!"

Jed was faster. Sara immediately saw the two kids emerge from the house. She got out of the car and opened the back door. Jed shoved Amy inside before climbing in himself.

Sara pressed the safety lock and Slappy was locked out.

He managed to punch the back window in. Glass shards flew everywhere and embedded themselves in Jed's arms and Amy's cheek.

Just when Jed was about to scream at Sara to step on it, another figure emerged on the other side of the car. Amy screamed, but Jed looked relieved.

It was Josh. He looked pretty beat up, what with a broken-looking arm, a slight limp, and a swollen cheek.

Slappy, meanwhile, had grabbed Amy's arm and was trying to tug her out of the car. Jed grabbed her other arm while Sara wrapped her arms around Amy's shoulders.

When Jed was able to pull Amy in enough, Sara unlocked the car. Josh immediately got in, and the four kids sped off.

Slappy stood there, bloody knuckles and broken heart. An unfamiliar feeling swept over him and something warm and wet trickled down his cheek.

He reached up and wiped his cheek only to find clear liquid.

_Tears? I'm crying? Am I even capable?_

The orange-haired boy tried to wipe his tears away, but they came faster than he could deal with.

Finally, he let his emotions get the best of him and gave up on trying to stop his tears.

Slappy didn't realize how much he needed Amy until she was gone.

And now he needed to do everything in his power to get her back, no matter what the cost.

After Slappy collected himself, he began to leave Dark Falls.

An evil glint showed in his eyes once more.

He had a plan.

* * *

When Ray finally unlocked the door to his room, he was met with a shaken Amanda.

"W-where's Josh?" she asked. "I want to see him."

Ray closed the door behind himself. "He's gone."

"What did you do?" she demanded. Her beautiful brown eyes were burning with anger. "I heard him cry out, Ray. _What did you do_?"

If he was feeling any emotion, he didn't show it. "Nothing. We just had a man-to-man talk. Don't worry about it."

Ray reached for her hand but Amanda drew it back.

"You're lying. You beat the shit out of him, didn't you? You son of a bitch!"

She went to punch him, but Ray caught her fist. He drew her into an embrace and hugged her. Amanda, of course, wasn't having it. She struggled against him, but Ray held her arms to her sides.

Amanda glared up at him from under her lashes.

Ray brushed a few strands of hair out of her face and kissed her. Amanda bit his lip, but Ray allowed his fangs to unsheath. Their sharp tips brushed her lip and she immediately stopped her feverish attempts to harm him.

When he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into her mouth, Amanda was still trying to get free. But his lips against hers was quite distracting, especially when his tongue massaged hers in an attempt to calm her down.

Finally, she gave up. Ray wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her as close as possible.

Amanda shoved him away after a few minutes.

She wiped her lips. "I'm still mad at you!"

Ray nodded. "I know."

"Why couldn't I see Josh? Why?"

"Because I have my reasons."

"No, because you're _selfish_!" Amanda screamed, trying to hit him again. Once again, Ray blocked her punch.

"Selfish? No; I'm just in love with you." He offered a half-smirk before spinning her around and pulling her into his chest.

"Why can't I see my family?" she demanded. Once again, Ray took her arms and held them to her sides.

"Because they'd never let you see me again if they knew we were together." His lips found a spot on her neck and he began to tease the sensitive skin with his fangs.

Amanda shivered. "But that's not fair!"

"_Life_ isn't fair."

"Ray!"

"Yes, Amanda?"

"I want to see my family!"

"Sorry, but no."

_I hope Josh comes back and kicks your ass_, Amanda thought bitterly. She wanted to see him very badly.

Ray was sweet and the only boy she ever liked romantically, but her family came first.

Ray released her arms. Amanda shot him a nasty glare before she walked over to the mattress. She curled up on her side and huddled close to the wall.

The blond boy stifled a laugh.

_She's so cute when she's mad._

He settled next to her and held her close to his chest.

"Go away," she mumbled half-heartedly. "I'm pissed off at you."

"I know," he sighed. "But I want to be next to you."

"Well, I want to see my family, but you can't always get what you want."

Ray groaned. "You're killing me, you know that?"

"You're already dead."

"Look, I'll make you a deal."

Amanda turned on her side. "What deal?"

"If I let you see your parents again for a whole day, will you promise to come back?"

Her explosive expression softened. "You're letting me go?"

"I didn't say that," Ray said. "I'll let you see your parents for one whole day, on your own. But when it's twelve o'clock at night, you have to come back to Dark Falls."

"Just one day?"

He nodded.

Amanda bit her lip. "Make it one day per week and you've got yourself a deal."

Ray opened his mouth to protest when Amanda narrowed her eyes.

He let out a frustrated growl and turned away from her.

"Fine."

Amanda's face brightened like a kid's on Christmas. She wrapped her arms around Ray and squeezed.

"Thank you!"

As much as he wanted to stay annoyed at her, he couldn't. He turned around to face her.

Amanda surprised both herself and Ray when she planted her lips on his.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Told ya I'd have more free time! At least, I think I did ;P**

**Anyway, another update!**

**And another one will probably be up by Monday.**

**Cheers!**

**Chapter 23 - Home**

"My poor baby!" Mrs. Kramer cried, wrapping her arms around a shivering Amy. She burst into sobs. Even Mr. Kramer was crying.

He turned to Jed and Sara, who were still slightly shaken from the events in Dark Falls.

"Where did you find her?"

Sara, still reeling from the speedy drive back to Pleasant Creek, simply shook her head and went upstairs to her room. Jed let out a long sigh.

"I'll tell you in the morning. I need to get some sleep."

Luckily, their father dropped the subject. The Kramers, at this point, didn't care _how_ Amy got back.

What mattered was that she was back home, safe and sound.

Mrs. Kramer ushered Amy into the kitchen. She made a plate of home-cooked turkey and vegetables and shoved it towards the girl.

"You're so skinny, sweetheart," she said, her voice quivering. "Please, you should eat something. Eat and then we'll talk, okay?"

Amy nodded, not really hearing her mother. Her mind was on Slappy.

She knew he didn't like her family and would do anything to keep her from them, but keeping her away from her brother? Locking her in her room and keeping her there like a caged bird? _That was wrong_.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Slappy never uttered the words 'I love you'.

Slappy never was good with words, but come _on_.

If he really loved her, he would find a way to say those three little words.

Amy ate silently, not tasting the food but simply shoveling it down. She looked weary and sad, and it was all her mother could do to keep from wrapping her arms around the thin girl and never letting go.

_God only knows what Amy went through_, Mrs. Kramer thought sadly.

After Amy finished eating, her father gently guided her into the living room and sat down with her on the couch. Amy fell out of the stupor she'd been in when she felt the warmth of the fireplace. She looked around, registering that she was in a lit house with actual warmth. She saw her mother and her father, and immediately rushed into her mother's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"_Mom!_"

"Oh, sweetheart." Mrs. Kramer began to cry all over again. Mr. Kramer hugged them both.

Amy didn't tell her parents what had transpired in Dark Falls and they didn't dare ask tonight. Mr. and Mrs. Kramer didn't know what Amy went through, but they didn't want to push her or upset her in any way.

The girl spent a good hour or so just sitting in front of the fireplace. She enjoyed the warmth of the roaring fire and her parents were content to have their family whole again. No one talked; everyone just glanced at each other and gazed at the fire.

Finally, Amy went upstairs to her room. She took a shower, changed into a long-sleeved nightgown, and climbed into her bed. Mrs. Kramer tucked her in and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Her father did the same, turning the lights off and closing the door gently behind him.

Amy fell into a light sleep, never quite waking up and never quite dreaming.

Outside, Slappy was freezing. The snow was coming down softly along with a light, freezing rain. His clothing wasn't soaked, but it wasn't dry or warm, either.

He turned himself into a dummy and managed to climb through the doggie door that led into the kitchen. He turned human and made his way up to Amy's room.

Slappy watched her toss and turn, her eyes fluttering. Her lips were parted slightly, incoherent mutterings occasionally reaching his ears.

He turned himself into a dummy and crawled into bed next to her. Amy instinctively wrapped her arms around him.

With his wooden hand, he caressed her cheek.

"I'm sorry, Amy. So sorry.."

* * *

Kris stared at the place before them.

"So, this is Dark Falls?"

Mr. Wood nodded. He took her hand and led her up to what he presumed was Mr. Dawes' house.

He knocked a few times. Moments later, the portly young realtor opened the door.

"I'm here about the empty house up for rent," Mr. Wood explained. He gestured towards Kris. "Would you happen to have a house for two?"

Mr. Dawes nodded. "Ah, yes. Please come in. I've been expecting you."

Kris followed Mr. Wood into the house. She took in the decaying walls, the ratty furniture, and the smell of old wood. It was definitely not the place she had in mind when Mr. Wood described Dark Falls to her.

As Mr. Dawes and Mr. Wood discussed realty, Kris wandered around the house. She went upstairs and noticed an intact bedroom. The furniture seemed like it was untouched by time; the bed looked inviting, the mirror looked clean, and the wooden nightstand wasn't rotting.

Kris took a seat on the bed and looked at herself in the mirror. She ran her fingers through her hair, wincing when they hit a knot or tangle.

Something caught her eye. She stood up and went over to the window.

Right next to this house was a house that looked almost the same. On the porch stood a blonde boy about seventeen, if not eighteen. His skin was deathly pale. Judging by his body language, he was tense and quite irritated.

The door opened and a pretty girl with long brown hair stepped out. Her jeans and T-shirt looked faded and dusty, but other than that, she was gorgeous. The smile that lit up her face made Kris jealous.

Suddenly, the girl's eyes met Kris's.

_Oh no_, Kris thought. _She probably thinks I'm a freak for looking at them._

The blonde boy began to walk off. The girl smiled at Kris and gave a small wave.

Kris hesitated before giving a small wave of her own.

_Maybe it won't be so bad here after all_, she thought, watching the boy and the girl walk away from the house.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24 - Resolution**

Ray leaned against Dead House. The wind sifted through his T-shirt, but he didn't feel it.

Temperature didn't have much of an effect on him.

_Any day, now, Amanda_, he thought impatiently. He wanted to have her all to himself, not share her with other people. Unfortunately for him, she was close with her family.

Amanda was upstairs checking herself in the mirror. She had showered, brushed her hair, and changed into clean clothes. Ray was gracious enough to lend her a T-shirt and a pair of jeans.

When she was satisfied with her appearance, she made her way downstairs and met Ray on the porch.  
She could tell he was a bit anxious.

"Ready?" he asked. She nodded.

Amanda didn't know why, but something told her to look up. She did so and noticed one of the windows in the house next door. It was a blonde girl. She looked sad.

What stuck out the most, though, is that the girl didn't look like one of Dark Fall's dead residents. She looked _alive_.

Ray began to walk away from Dead House. Before Amanda followed, she gave the girl a reassuring smile and a small wave.

When they were a good distance away from Dark Falls, Ray wrapped an arm around Amanda's waist.

She peeked at him through her peripheral vision only to see his face void of any expression. He just looked... _Neutral_.

"Are you all right?"

It took a minute for her to realize that she had asked the question. In her peeking, she hadn't realized that her expression had twisted into one of concern.

Ray didn't meet her eyes. He simply nodded.

"I'm fine."

He sure didn't sound fine. He sounded annoyed, nervous, and a bit disappointed. Not necessarily in that order, either.

The trip to Pleasant Creek was silent, almost uncomfortable. Ray somehow teleported them to Amanda's small backyard. It was snowing gently; Amanda hated the cold, but it was welcome after being stuck in humidity for God-knows how many weeks.

She beamed at the sight of her house. Off-white clapboard, bay window that looked into the living room... _Home_.

Amanda wrapped her arms around Ray and squeezed.

"Thank you!" she squealed, and ran up the steps of the back porch. Right when her hand closed around the screen door handle, Ray placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Hold on, Amanda."

She turned around. "Huh?"

Ray grabbed her and kissed her hard. Amanda was stunned at the sudden rough affection, but eventually eased into it.

When they finally broke apart, he tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. "I'll see you later, okay? I love you."

"I love you, too," Amanda whispered, giving him one last hug. Finally, she opened the screen door and rushed inside.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home! I'm home, I'm home, I'm _home_!"

"Amanda, is that really you?!"

Her mother, who had been washing dishes, dropped the plastic cup she'd been rinsing and grabbed a kitchen towel. She dried her hands briefly before she sprinted into the living room. Upon seeing her daughter, Mrs. Benson tackled her in a hug.

Mr. Benson and Josh hurried downstairs and joined the family hug.

Outside, Ray watched their little reunion with a hollow feeling in his chest.

His parents had left him at Dark Falls to fend for himself. Family was never an easy subject for him to comprehend.

Amanda wasn't just someone he loved dearly; she was a sense of family, a sense of home.

With a sigh, he teleported back to Dark Falls. He decided to spend some time with the other dead children of Dark Falls, but it just wasn't the same.

Ray couldn't wait until twelve o'clock.

* * *

Amy awoke to the feel of her arms around something wooden. She opened her eyes to see a familiar dummy, back facing her.

"Slappy?"

The doll's eyes opened. Slappy got off the bed and turned himself human. He took a seat on the edge of Amy's bed.

"Look, Amy, I'm _sorry_, okay?"

She blinked. Of course, deep down she knew what he was talking about. Keeping her locked up like a prisoner, seemingly playing with her heart.

Not necessarily a healthy-sounding relationship.

With a shaky sigh, Slappy turned to face her. His cheeks were growing pink with shame, perhaps even embarrassment, and Amy found it adorable.

"I just, I don't know... I really like you. I have ever since you were brave enough to try to take me down, even though everyone in your family was against you. I don't want to share you. Call me selfish, I guess, but that's how I feel. I... Well, Amy, _I love you_."

Amy blushed, but she didn't say anything.

"I probably sound like a dork, huh?" Slappy rambled, nervously running his fingers through his hair. "I mean, I'm not too good with feelings. You know, the whole 'born from a coffin' thing doesn't exactly help my case. But I just want you to know that I do love you, even though I don't express it most of the -"

His words were cut off when Amy suddenly pulled him down and pressed her lips to his.

Slappy was, to say the least, surprised.

Amy's cheeks were nearly red by the time they pulled apart. "I know you're not too good with words, Slappy. I just wanted to hear you say it. I love you, too, but I have a family, and I love them as well. I can't just leave them behind."

His heart fell. "But Amy, what -"

"We'll figure something out," she promised, taking his hand and intertwining her fingers with his. "Even if I resume school and you stay here as a doll during the day. We'll make things work."

He couldn't help but believe her as her soft hand caressed his cheek.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Let me just say that SideshowJazz1, you're fast with reviews :P**

**Hope y'all are enjoying the story! :D**

**Chapter 25 - Midnight**

"I hope this isn't too hot," Mrs. Benson said, setting a mug of hot chocolate in front of Amanda. "I don't want you to burn your mouth."

Amanda smiled. "Thanks, Mom."

Mrs. Benson sat across from her daughter, who was comfy and cozy in a pair of sweats, a thermal shirt, and a fuzzy blanket. Josh and Mr. Benson were in the basement working on Mr. Benson's car.

Luckily, Mrs. Benson hadn't shoved Amanda into the car and rushed her to the hospital. Amanda was fine and didn't need doctors poking, prodding, and interrogating her to death.

Amanda took a sip and sighed. She loved hot chocolate; it was perfect after coming in from the freezing cold.

"Sweetheart, if I may.." Mrs. Benson stared at her hands. "What _happened_? Where were you?"

"Well, it's a long story," Amanda replied, setting her mug on the coffee table. "One that involves a boy. Someone who I've grown to like very much."

"A boy? He didn't hurt you in any way, did he?"

"No."

"Okay, good. Now, why did he kidnap you?"

Amanda didn't like to lie, especially to her mother. They were quite close.

"Mom, you remember Dark Falls, right?"

Mrs. Benson paled. Amanda took that as a 'yes'.

"Well, you remember the kids that lived there?"

She nodded.

"A friend of mine... Well, one that _used_ to be my friend, anyway... He lives there and he's the one who kidnapped me."

"Is it someone we know?"

Amanda nodded. "Sort of. You remember Ray Thurston?"

Mrs. Benson thought for a moment. "You mean the blonde boy with the black suit? The one who liked to wear a hat?"

Amanda nodded again. Mrs. Benson blinked.

"You're telling me that you like him? But sweetheart, he's dead."

"Not technically."

Mrs. Benson, always the kind and understanding mother, reached over and took her daughter's hand.

"He _is_ dead, honey. You and your brother told us that you saw a tombstone for every resident in Dark Falls."

"Yes, but Ray's _alive_. He can eat and drink and feel and do all kinds of things," Amanda explained. "He can walk, sleep, and he can pick things up. His skin is warm; he's _alive_."

Her mother looked at the carpet for a moment before sighing. "Okay. Listen, Amanda, I think we should go to a psychologist and see what he thinks."

Amanda froze. "You think I'm crazy? You think I'm making all of this up?"

"No, but I do think this whole experience has left you... _Unnerved_. Perhaps we should see what a professional thinks."

"Mom, I don't need professional help. I'm perfectly fine."

But Mrs. Benson didn't seem to hear her. She patted her daughter's hand.

"It's all right, Amanda, we'll get you the help you need. Everything will go back to the way it was."

"Never mind. I'm going to bed." Amanda stood up, annoyed, and stormed upstairs.

As she opened the door to her room, she couldn't help but feel like she was in a weird place. Sure, the blue walls, comfy bed, and the various stuffed animals, books, and CDs laying around the room were familiar, but after being with Ray, things were different. She was different.

Amanda crawled into bed and snuggled under the warm covers of her bed.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep.

* * *

Kris swung her legs over the side of the bed.

She just couldn't sleep. Not in this heat, anyway. It was too humid to get comfortable on the bed.

The blonde left the bedroom and went downstairs. She heard a sigh come from the kitchen.

Kris walked into the room to see Mr. Wood sitting at the table, head in his hands. He looked stressed.

She approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He jumped slightly, then relaxed when he realized it was just Kris.

"You should be sleeping."

Kris snorted. "I stopped having a bedtime when I was nine."

Mr. Wood turned to face her, a tired expression on his face.

"Look, Kris, I'm pretty beat. If you came downstairs to argue, you might as well go back upstairs and try to go back to sleep. I'm trying to think."

"About what?" She pulled out a chair and sat across from him. "Is it about our living conditions?"

He nodded. "Food, water, electricity, bills... I'm thinking about getting a job to support us."

"I could help you. I had a job before you kidnapped me."

Mr. Wood nodded. "I know."

Kris raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't respond.

"I was thinking we could stay here for a little while, then move somewhere quiet, maybe an old farmhouse in the country. I could get a job and you could, if you wanted to. That's up to you."

"Do you have any money to get us started?" Kris asked.

Mr. Wood got up and began to walk towards the cabinets. "Enough to get us a house and pay the bills for a few months."

"Where did you get the money?"

He shot her a sideways glance. "Don't worry about it."

Mr. Wood opened one of the cabinets and pulled out a loaf of bread. He opened the fridge and took out some cold cuts.

"Are you hungry?"

Kris yawned. "No. Is there any possibility of me being able to go back home?"

Not that she wanted to go back. Everyone would probably just think she was crazy and they'd make fun of her. Worst of all, Lindy would never let her live this down.

"Not a chance." Mr. Wood began to make himself a sandwich. "Why would you want to go back, anyway? It's not like you had this great life or anything."

"Gee, thanks for reminding me," Kris replied dryly.

"Anytime." He moved the plate to the kitchen table and sat down.

Kris leaned into the palm of her hand and drummed her fingernails on the table.

"When did you plan on leaving?"

"Tomorrow," Mr. Wood replied, taking a bite of his sandwich. "I'm going house-hunting, but I want you to stay here."

She folded her arms across her chest. "What makes you think I will?"

Mr. Wood raised an eyebrow at her. She sighed.

"Okay, okay. So I don't exactly have anywhere to go. What about boredom? What am I supposed to do while you're gone?"

"I don't know. Go to the library, find the other kids and hang out with them. Whatever floats your boat. Just stay in Dark Falls."

Kris pouted. Mr. Wood smiled and set his sandwich down.

"Don't give me that look, baby. It's just for a few hours."

She didn't reply; she just looked out the window.

Mr. Wood got up and approached her. Kris's eyes flickered towards him, but she didn't move.

He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

"Come on, Kris, I don't like to see you like this. Smile for me, would you?"

"I'm not in the mood."

Mr. Wood sighed. "Please?"

She turned towards him. "You're a real piece of work, you know that? You terrorize my sister and me when we're kids, kidnap me, bring me to this weird, dead town, and now you want me to smile? We've got a really interesting relationship."

He laughed. "Hey, you've gotta start somewhere."

Kris's expression relaxed and she kissed him. It was short, but sweet, and it left both Kris and Mr. Wood smiling.

The blonde began to yawn. Her eyelids felt heavy; she was finally tired enough to fall asleep.

Mr. Wood carried her upstairs and set her down on the bed. He settled down next to her, taking off his Converse and his flannel shirt.

"You're tired?" Kris's voice was soft, almost inaudible, but Mr. Wood heard her.

"You try going almost a week without decent sleep and then we'll talk," he teased. "Good night, Kris."

"'Night."


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Hey, just a friendly reminder: I'm writing this fanfiction for ****_fun_****. I don't always have the time to write on here nor do I always want to. I might not update as often as some people would like, but I can't help that. Just reminding y'all of that, no offense intended.**

**Anyway, one question for all you lovely reviewers: should I write an M-rated scene? And if so, between which two characters in this story?**

**Chapter 26 - Compromise**

Amanda woke roughly two hours later. Her room was dark, save for the sliver of moonlight that peeked through her window.

She yawned and sat up. The digital clock next to her bed told her it was a little past midnight.

"Good to see you're finally awake."

Amanda turned her head to see Ray leaning against her door. He looked positively sexy in his black jeans and tight T-shirt. His blonde hair had been combed back to reveal a handsome face. When he stepped into the moonlight, he looked much more ethereal, his features flawlessly perfect. Amanda yawned again and stood up, half-remembering just who was standing in her room at this very moment.

She approached him and wrapped her arms around him.

"I missed you."

"I missed you, too. Are you ready to go back to Dark Falls?"

"_May_be.."

Ray opened his mouth to reply when Amanda pressed her lips to his. His mind went blank as she began to lick his lower lip.

Amanda moaned as he allowed his tongue to invade her mouth. She started to wake up a little bit more when his cool hands went under her shirt and rubbed her lower back, but once she remembered who she was kissing, it didn't matter.

Suddenly, the room became hotter. Amanda's heart began to pump loudly in her ears as Ray assaulted her lips, his tongue exploring and caressing every crevice in her mouth. She didn't even care that Ray had backed her against her bed, nearly pushing her down onto the cool mattress. He positioned himself over her and began to kiss her again.

Amanda seemed to snap out of the lustful trance she'd been in when there was a knock on her bedroom door.

"Amanda, it's me," Josh said, his voice muffled from the door. "Look, I know it's late, but I kind of need to talk to you."

Ray growled softly under his breath, annoyed that Amanda's little brother had to ruin their hot make-out session. He rolled off of her.

Amanda kissed him on the cheek before getting up and turning the light on. Ray seemed to disappear with the darkness.

She opened the door. "Hi, Josh. What are you doing up at this hour?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Couldn't sleep. I was thinking about that whole situation that happened in Dark Falls and I had a few questions."

"Oh. Well, if you've got questions, fire away."

Josh stepped into the light of her room. He sat on the floor while Amanda sat on the edge of her bed.

"How did you get away from him?" Josh asked. He subconsciously rubbed his shoulder; Ray was awfully strong for a dead person. He could pack a mean punch.

"It was complicated," Amanda lied. "I had to trick him."

"How'd you do it?"

She swallowed. "Uh, well, first, I had to use flattery and all that junk to get him to calm down. When he was finally asleep, I snuck out of Dark Falls, hopped a bus, and got here."

Josh cocked an eyebrow. "Really?"

"You don't believe me?"

"No. I think you're lying."

Amanda rolled her eyes. Josh always had that annoying tendency to see through lies.

"All right, Josh, you want to know what happened? Ray and I fell in love and he made me a deal: as long as I stay with him, I can visit you, Mom, and Dad once a week. Today was my day to visit and now that it's midnight, I have to return to Dark Falls and stay there until next week."

His jaw dropped. "W-what?"

Amanda felt her stomach churn with anxiety. Did he think she was weird for falling for Ray?

Would he want to ship her off to the loony bin like Mrs. Benson did?

Instead of freaking out, Josh simply shook his head.

"You're in love with Ray, the dead guy who wanted to zombify us. That's what you're telling me."

She nodded.

Josh snorted. "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you've got Stockholm Syndrome?"

"No. I really like Ray. It's not because he was keeping me in Dark Falls, but he's just a nice guy. I like him _a lot_."

"Am I talking to my sister?" Josh asked. "Or are you some cloned version of Amanda that's gone haywire? 'Cause the Amanda I know would take great pleasure in kneeing Ray in the groin. The Amanda I know wouldn't want to be in a relationship with him."

The girl bit her lip. "You don't approve."

"It doesn't matter whether he approves or not."

The Benson siblings turned to see Ray step out of the shadows of the room and appear in the light. He winced at the brightness of Amanda's lamp, but didn't say anything. Amanda looked nervous; Josh looked like he was ready to fight.

"No, Ray, it kind of does matter," Amanda said. "He's my brother, after all. I do care what he thinks."

Josh shot her a look. Ray stared at her.

"Maybe he is right; maybe this relationship isn't healthy and maybe I'm not in my right mind," Amanda continued, staring at the floor. Ray snorted in disbelief.

"You're going to break up with me because of what Josh thinks? Are you _kidding_?"

She snapped her head up to glare at him. "I never said that."

Amanda turned to Josh. "Look, maybe I _shouldn't_ like Ray like this. Maybe I should totally push him away, try to hurt him, all that stuff. But I've gotten the chance to really get to know him and I love him. You can think I'm crazy and totally off my rocker if you want, Josh, but I'm being serious here and I don't plan on giving Ray up."

Josh looked at Amanda, then Ray, then back at Amanda. Finally, he sighed.

"Okay, okay. Whatever. I trust your judgement, Amanda, but if he _ever_ makes you cry, I'm kicking his ass."

Amanda nodded.

Josh turned to look at Ray. "And you; you'd better make my sister happy and not cause her any pain because if you do, I will personally hunt you down and make sure you stay dead. You got me?"

Ray nodded. "I promise, I'll take great care of her."

"Good." Josh shot both of them a half-smile. "The only remaining problem we have is Mom and Dad. What am I supposed to tell them when you're gone?"

Amanda sighed. "I don't know. Whether you tell them the truth or not is up to you."

Josh yawned. "Okay. You guys do whatever you have to do. I'll, uh, I'll be in my room. Just keep things down, will you?"

He left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Amanda turned the light off and let herself fall back on her bed.

Ray sat next to her. "That went well."

"Mm. Better than I thought it would." Amanda's voice sounded stressed. Her eyes were closed.

"Hey."

Amanda opened her eyes only to see Ray lean down and kiss her. She giggled.

When he pulled away, he brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. "Pack some of your things and we'll get going."

"Okay."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/M: Just wanted to apologize for this late update, haha ^.^'' I know it's been awhile, but I've been busy. I'll try to update more often, alright?**

**Chapter 27**

Kris sighed for the umpteenth time, picking through the selection of dusty old books. There wasn't much for her to choose from; all of these books were mostly about adult topics, like business management, the town history, all that stuff.

She didn't really care much about the town history. The books were pretty much useless to Kris.

The blonde sank into a leather chair and placed her chin in the palm of her hand.

Mr. Wood had left hours ago, nearly six in the morning, and Kris decided to check out the library. There hadn't been much to read; most of the books were so old that the dust and mold stuck the pages together. The ones she could read? Boring topics.

After a few minutes, she got up and left the library. The air outside was hot and humid, thick with rain, though the summer sun beat down on Dark Falls mercilessly. The undead residents were smart enough to stay in their houses on days like these.

Kris began to stroll around town, occasionally enteringan old store or building that caught her interest.

She ended up in the abandoned school building, sometimes wandering into classrooms.

_I can't wait till he gets back_, she thought, picking up a piece of paper and a pencil. Kris began to doodle. _He's not the best company, but he's someone to talk to._

* * *

"Are you sure you don't know anything?" Lindy asked. She was currently on the phone with Cody, an old friend of Kris.

"I haven't talked to her since middle school," the boy replied impatiently. Judging by the shouts and laughter in the background, he was hanging out with friends. "Why would I know where she ran off to?"

Lindy sighed, her patience thinning. "Because you used to be her best friend."

He snorted. "Yeah, used to. She's a loser, Lin, and you know that better than anyone else."

That struck a nerve. Lindy often made herself out to be the better twin, but she never realized how much it might have hurt her sister.

Every reminder of their competition felt like a dagger.

"Yeah, well, you're the one who -"

"Look, I'm busy, and whatever happened, happened. I wouldn't worry too much about it. You find out anything, let me know later, 'kay?"

"But -"

_Click!_

Lindy turned her phone off and tossed it onto a pile of clothes. She sighed and let herself fall back to the bed.

_Kris couldn't have run off on her own. Something's got to give._


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Two chapters in one day :D Please excuse any errors, I just skimmed through it ;P**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 28**

Amy returned to her room after spending the day with her mother. Things were slowly returning to normal again.

No one knew that Slappy was back at the Kramer household because Amy kept him hidden in her closet. She took great care to make him a makeshift bed out of some of her shirts and a throw pillow.

He didn't seem to mind; as long as he got to stay with Amy, Slappy was fine.

Amy threw open her closet doors and gently shook the dummy awake.

"Wake up, sleepyhead, I'm back," she said in a sing-song voice. Slappy opened his eyes for a second before he shifted into his human form. He picked her up and spun her around. Amy giggled.

"I missed you," he muttered into her shoulder. Amy pecked his cheek affectionately.

"I missed you, too. Oh, and I snuck a movie up here for us to watch. I thought we could have a movie date."

Slappy nodded. "Cool. Do you want me to help you set it up?"

"No, I can do it. You can sit on my bed."

Slappy obliged, watching the girl set up her DVD player. She popped in the disc and grabbed the remote. Settling on the bed next to her boyfriend, she pressed 'play' and cuddled closer to him.

They both watched the movie with little interest. Slappy kept stealing glances at Amy, admiring the way her hair was slightly messy, the way her eyes were slowly closing with sleep.

He couldn't remember meeting a prettier girl.

Halfway through the movie, Amy was falling asleep. Slappy decided he'd had enough and placed his hand under her chin.

Amy looked up at him, about to question what he was doing when he pressed his lips to hers.

That woke her up.

She kissed him back eagerly, moaning softly when he began to flick his tongue in and out of her mouth.

Before Amy knew it, Slappy was straddling her waist, hands pinned on either side of her head. Her fingers were tangled in his messy orange hair.

Occasionally, if either person heard a sound, they would pause to make sure it wasn't one of Amy's family members up and about. Sometimes they pulled away just to breathe.

The movie had been long over by the time Amy and Slappy stopped kissing. They just stared at each other, comfortable with the silence around them.

"I'm so glad you're mine," Slappy whispered, settling next to her under the covers. Amy snuggled closer to him.

"I love you."

He kissed her forehead. "I love you, too. Get some sleep, okay? I'll see you in the morning."

"We'll have the day to ourselves," Amy muttered, her eyes already closed. "My parents, Sara, and Jed are going out tomorrow."

Slappy was surprised. They just got Amy back and they're _already_ leaving her alone?

Not a very wise decision, but whatever. The more time spent with Amy, the better.

"Where are they going?" he asked. Amy yawned.

"Jed is going to a baseball game with my dad and Sara's going to the mall with my mother. I told them I wanted to stay home and relax, so we'll be able to spend time together."

"Sounds great."

By the time they fell asleep together, it was two in the morning.

* * *

Ray and Amanda held hands as they entered Dark Falls. Amanda couldn't help but notice that Ray's hand really did feel warm and alive.

Amanda snuck a glance at the blonde boy to see him looking at her. He seemed to blush before looking away.

"We're here."

Indeed, they were.

It seemed like it was just around early evening. The residents of Dark Falls were beginning to leave their homes and bustle about, chatting and walking with each other around the streets. Some of them even looked friendly, rather than the distant, bloodthirsty zompires Amanda originally knew them as.

Karen approached the couple. Amanda noticed that she wasn't wearing the straw hat she usually wore.

"It's nice to see you guys are getting along," Karen said, gesturing towards the couple's clasped hands. "Mr. Dawes says a new family will be moving in sometime this week, so I figured I'd give you guys a heads up."

Amanda shuddered, wishing she hadn't heard that another family would be coming to Dark Falls. She knew that, if they weren't as smart as her family had been, they would meet a terrible fate.

Ray seemed to notice her unease because he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Thanks. We'll find another place to stay for the time being, right Amanda?"

The brunette nodded, letting her gaze fall to her shoes. Her stomach churned at the thought of what could've happened had her family not defeated the residents of Dark Falls.

Well, she'd probably be like Ray; undead, needing blood once a year.

As Ray and Amanda made their way through the town, they were greeted by a few people. Even though Amanda 'defeated' them, they seemed to hold no hard feelings towards her. Some of them even went up to her and gave her a friendly hug.

When they had passed the town square, Ray stopped at an old, cozy-looking house. He gave Amanda's hand a squeeze.

"We can stay here while the other house is occupied," he explained.

"Is this your house?" Amanda asked, following him up the porch steps and to the front door. Ray nodded.

"Yeah. This was the house I lived in before I died in Dead House."

His voice cracked halfway through the sentence. Amanda snuck a glance at his face to see a sad, almost lonely expression.

"Ray?"

The blonde boy snapped out of it and smiled at her, but she could tell it was forced.

"Ray, what's the matter? Why do you look so sad?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing. Come on, I'll make you something to eat."

Amanda stopped him. "I'm not hungry. Please, just tell me what's on your mind. I don't like to see you so sad."

Ray sighed. He led her into the house and into the living room.

"Sit down."

Amanda was surprised to see the living room fully furnished with relatively-new furniture. The white sofa was plush and didn't have a speck of dust on it. The coffee table had a few outdated magazines on it, along with a single picture frame. In it was a dark-haired woman, a blonde man, and a younger-looking Ray.

He seemed to be the only one smiling in the picture.

Amanda picked it up. "Is this your family?"

Ray nodded, letting himself fall into the chair across from the sofa. The seventeen year-old closed his eyes and leaned back.

"Yeah. It's... A long story, actually."

Amanda set the frame back on the small table. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's not much to say. My parents didn't want me. One time, I asked my dad to take me to a baseball game. He said no, but I didn't know any better, and I kept asking him. He got so mad, he told me he wished the condom never broke."

Amanda felt herself wince. _Man, that's harsh._

"And my mother never really talked to me. She made sure I had clothes, but whenever I tried to talk to her, she ignored me and went about her business. I didn't eat much, either. My dad was an alcoholic and he didn't really have much money to spare for food. My mom... Well, suffice it to say that they were both unfit parents. One day, when I was hanging out with the other kids, they just up and left. I decided to just become part of the town. It's not like I had much of a choice."

Amanda got up and approached Ray. She leaned over him and attempted to hug him, but Ray pulled her down onto him and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry," Amanda said. There wasn't much else for her to say.

Ray rubbed her lower back. "It's not your fault. You don't have to apologize."

She nuzzled his chest. "Yeah, but it's messed up. I'm sorry that it happened to you."

He kissed her forehead. "_I'm_ not. If I hadn't been left here, I wouldn't have met you."

Amanda smiled. "I'm really glad I met you."

Ray lifted his hand to run his fingers through her hair. "I love you."

"I love you, too. You'll always have me, if no one else, okay?"

The boy smiled. "Thank you."


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I had to write a monster of a research paper, but I finally got that out of the way :D**

**Thanks for your patience! Hope you guys enjoy ;)**

**I'm sorry this chapter is so short but I'm kind of running out of ideas ;_;**

**Chapter 29**

Slappy awoke to the sweet smell of pancakes. Amy stirred in his arms.

"I'm hungry," she murmured. He laughed.

_Always thinking with her stomach._

"I am, too. Let's go get something to eat."

Amy seemed to wake up more. She groaned.

"We can't until my parents leave."

"Well, then, maybe we can pass the time."

Amy turned to raise an eyebrow at his seductive tone when her lips were suddenly occupied. Slappy lightly bit her lower lip and Amy moaned.

Just when she was about to move closer to him, there was a knock on the door.

"Amy, you up? Mom made blueberry pancakes," Jed said through the door.

The dark-haired girl groaned again. "Be down in a minute."

She heard her younger brother's footsteps shuffle away. She yawned and sat up.

"I'm gonna see if I can bring breakfast up here," she mumbled. "Stay in bed, okay?"

Slappy grumbled under his breath and turned on his side.

_Damn it! Just when I almost had her._

Amy got up and left the room. She went downstairs and greeted her family with a 'good morning' that was halfway interrupted with a yawn.

Mrs. Kramer chuckled. "Good morning to you, too, sleepyhead. It's almost ten o'clock."

"Guess I just needed the sleep." _And the makeout session. The extremely hot, totally sexy makeout session..._

Amy forced those thoughts away. She could kiss Slappy all she wanted later. Right now it was pancake time.

* * *

Kris felt herself being shaken awake.

"Huh?" Her head felt foggy.

"Wake up, baby. You shouldn't fall asleep in a library, you know; it's rude."

Mr. Wood. She frowned.

"I never said I was polite," Kris snapped softly. She was having a dreamless sleep, one that allowed her to disappear from the conscious world for just a brief period of time. She didn't have to deal with the hell of a nightmare or the false sense of peace of a dream.

Mr. Wood nodded. "True. Come on, let's head back to the house. I've got a surprise for you."

That peaked her interest. "A surprise? What is it?"

The boy laughed, helping her to her feet. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise. Come on; I have a feeling you'll really like it."

Kris followed him back to their temporary home and into the kitchen. The residents of Dark Falls were out and about in the shimmering moonlight, many of the children playing about.

Mr. Wood flicked the lights on and Kris was met with two bulging bags filled with clothing. A single box was sitting in the middle of the clothing bags. Kris squealed.

"My jewelry box! How'd you get it?" She ran to it and opened the worn box, fingering her beloved junk jewelry collection.

The boy leaned against the doorway. "I have my ways. Anyway, I figured you'd want some new clothes instead of the same outfit every day. Take a look at what I got you; I think you'll like it."

Kris surprised herself by rushing over to Mr. Wood and wrapping her arms around his neck. She smashed her lips to his and wrapped her arms around his waist.

He immediately caught her and kissed her back. She moved her lips against his with such passion that, for a second, he was stunned.

_Damn it, this girl can kiss!_

When Kris pulled away, she was beaming. "Thank you, thank you, _thank you_!"

Mr. Wood chuckled. "No problem. Go upstairs and play dress up; I've got some paperwork to take care of."

She nodded. "Thanks again!"

With that, Kris lugged the bags and her jewelry box up to their room. Mr. Wood shook his head, a small smile on his face.

_Guess that was a smart move on my part._


	30. Chapter 30

**A Wish Upon A Shooting Star: Yes, this story is not yet complete. I still work on it actively, letting the story take on a life of its own :) And I've only read Welcome to Dead House and Night of the Living Dummy I & II, so I'm sorry if any other NotLD characters don't show up :( But I hope you're enjoying this story all the same, and thank you for your reviews.**

**Cyberchao X: I'm not sure how to respond to you. You favorited my story, so I suppose you like it? But your reviews are basically saying that this story sucks. If you don't like it, then I beseech you: why read it? This is just a fun little side project I took on to show my appreciation for a pairing, not a future novel with perfection on every page. I know this story has flaws, but I don't mind them, and it seems like everyone else is just as content. I am not, in any way shape or form, "propagating rape", as you wrote for chapter 3, but hey; interpret it as you will. I really don't care. Regarding the characters? I'm the one writing this fic so I'm pretty much deciding how the characters think, act, interact, etc. And if this story really does suck, then whatever. ****_I_**** enjoy writing it, so that's all the reason I need to keep it going. I do appreciate your reviews, as they have made me go back and take a look at my writing, but I found a few of them to be a bit amusing, I suppose, considering the fact that this is just a fanfiction, nothing more, nothing less. Regardless, many thanks, and I do hope you enjoy this story.**

**For everyone else, hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**I don't own anything; all characters belong to the wonderful R.L. Stine :)**

**Chapter 30**

As Ray led Amanda up the worn stairs of his home, she couldn't help but take in the dusty surroundings.

Framed photographs lined the walls leading up to the upstairs hallway, most of them moth-bitten and covered in dust. Amanda could just make out Ray's parents in a few of them. She remembered what Ray told her earlier.

_No wonder he was so insistent about having me all to himself_, she thought sadly. _He never had anyone to care for him._

The old wooden floors creaked under the couple's shoes. Ray stopped at a door at the very end of the hall and pushed it open.

He smiled weakly at the brown-haired girl. "My room."

Amanda stepped in and looked around.

Ray's room was plain. The walls had been painted a decent shade of red at some point in time, but now it just looked like a dull mahogany.

Ray's bed consisted of a mattress, a pillow, a thin white sheet, and a throw blanket. There were no toys or posters or anything to indicate that a little boy had once lived here.

The blonde boy took a seat on his bed. "Sorry it's so boring. My parents... Well, as long as I didn't have to sleep in the same room as them, they didn't care. You're welcome to take this room for yourself; I usually just sleep on the couch downstairs, anyway."

Even though the room was virtually bare, Amanda smiled.

"I like it. My room always seemed a bit too cramped for my liking, but I never got around to cleaning it up."

For a moment, Ray's eyes lit up. "I like your room. I've always loved the color blue."

Amanda sat next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Do you ever miss them?" Her voice was quiet, almost softer than a whisper.

Ray knew who she meant by 'them'. He gave a half-hearted shrug. "What's to miss?"

"Even if they weren't the best, they were still your parents."

His eyes dulled for a moment. "Maybe I... Just a little..."

And just when Ray thought he was okay, he could feel the familiar ache of loneliness in his chest. A lump had lodged itself in his throat and he found it hard to speak.

Amanda seemed to understand that he was becoming upset. She wrapped her arms around him.

The boy gave a bitter laugh. "I'm sorry. You probably think I'm so messed up; kidnapping you, keeping you here, telling you about my screwed up family."

"Not at all. I really don't mind."

Amanda hesitated before pressing a kiss to his temple.

Ray couldn't help but notice how warm she felt, the way her heart pumped so strongly. He could breathe, even though he didn't need to, but his heart would never pound again. Amanda's body fit right against his like a missing puzzle piece, as cliche as that sounded, and he loved holding her warm hands with his cool ones.

He just couldn't get over the fact that she was so _warm_. He missed being alive, to _need_ to breathe, to feel his pulse strong and prominent in his chest. If there was ever a chance for Ray to turn back into a human, he would gladly take it.

But for now, he just had to work with what he had. At least he could hug Amanda and kiss her.


	31. Chapter 31

**Sorry for the delay! But summer is on its way! :)**

**Chapter 31**

When Amy finally returned to Slappy's side, he noticed she'd brought a small plate of pancakes with her. They smelled divine.

She held out the plate. "Well? Aren't you hungry?"

A mischevious glint appeared in his emerald eyes. "Oh, Amy?"

The dark-haired girl blinked. "Yeah?"

"Feed it to me, would you?" The huskiness of his voice made her blush.

"Slappy, you can -"

"Do I have to order you to do it?" His seductive tone made her blush even more. Slappy grinned at her reaction.

Finally, she shook her head, amazed at his antics, and began to cut a small piece of his breakfast. She stuck it with the fork and held it out.

"Here."

Slappy leaned over and took a tentative bite. He chewed the food in his mouth and gave Amy a look that made her weak in the knees.

"Thanks, babe."

"Stop acting like that." Amy's face was beginning to turn red. "You're making my face all red."

"That's kind of the point." He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down onto his lap. Amy almost dropped the plate but Slappy took it from her. He placed it on the night stand and began to trace circles around Amy's exposed navel.

"You're really hot," he whispered. "I'm freaking lucky to have such a sexy slave."

Amy blushed again. "Well, I'm lucky that you're such a cutie."

She took the initiative and leaned down. As their lips met, both knew things would go farther than just kissing. It was just too perfect; no parents, the peaceful quiet in the house, their love for each other.

Somehow, though, both didn't mind.

* * *

Kris was busy going through her jewelry box when Mr. Wood decided to come upstairs. It was the day after he'd been so generous to buy her new clothes and retrieve her beloved junk jewelry collection.

He entered the room and sat on the bed.

"Having fun?"

Kris looked up, her fingers entangled with two necklaces. "Hm?"

He nodded towards the small wooden box. Kris's eyes lit up in understanding.

"Oh! Yes, I haven't really had the time to go through all this and mess with it," she replied, trying to pick at a knot between the two strings. "Now I'll have all the time in the world, though."

Mr. Wood slid out of his Converse and settled on the bed, resting his hands over his stomach.

"I always liked your collection," he mumbled. His eyes closed; tomorrow they would be going off to another secluded area, a beach cottage more or less. Sometimes being related to a powerful dummy -Slappy- had its advantages.

Kris smiled. "Really? Well... Lindy always said it was stupid. She said I should set my eyes on real jewelry rather than wooden beads."

He snorted. "Lindy was never the brightest crayon in the box, Kris. If you like wooden jewelry over diamonds, then more power to you."

The girl should have felt guilty for beaming at his words. He was, after all, insulting her sister.

But somehow she didn't mind.

Lindy was always insulting _her_; it was nice to hear something bad about _her_ for a change.

"You might want to pack a few things," Mr. Wood said. "We're going to be moving soon. I found a nice little place by the beach."

Kris nodded absentmindedly, her focus on her beloved jewelry.

She still couldn't believe that she was kidnapped by the dummy that used to give her grief.

But she was also lucky, wasn't she? To be loved, admired...

It wasn't such a bad deal.

**I'm sorry it's so short! I've got major carpal tunnel lol and it's painful. But I promise, I will update a lot more during the summer! Count on it!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Thank you kindly for the reviews! I'm really glad you guys are liking this story! :) I am now done with school, so I will try to write more chapters for you guys! Thanks again for all your lovely reviews!**

**Especially you, SideshowJazz1 :D**

**Oh, and one more thing: which do you guys prefer? Ray and Amanda's parts of the story, Slappy and Amy, or Mr. Wood and Kris? I'm just curious lol :)**

**Chapter 32**

Amanda decided to sleep in Ray's old room. He, on the other hand, took the couch downstairs. He said something about it being more comfortable for him, then disappeared down the stairs.

As Amanda sat on his bed, she began to think about everything that had happened.

It felt like years since Ray kidnapped her, but in reality, it had only been a number of weeks, maybe even a month. In all that time, he'd allowed her free roam over Dark Falls, he allowed her to hang out with Amy, her best friend, and he treated her like a princess.

Never in all her life had she been treated so kindly by a boy. Amanda always knew that first boyfriends would be special, but Ray was different.

He was more than that; he was _perfect_.

Sure, he had his flaws, but didn't every boy? If Amanda didn't know Ray's past, she'd think he was a normal teenage boy.

To her, he already was. Ray was a normal teenage boy with a tough past and an outstanding character considering the things he went through.

The feelings she felt for him... They were definitely love. Every time Ray walked into the room, her stomach would flip with excitement and a big, stupid grin would appear on her face. Whenever he kissed her, it was so much more than just affection, and both teens felt it.

Their love went deeper than they both knew. It certainly came as a shock to Amanda, considering how she first felt when Ray kidnapped her.

As the girl got lost in her thoughts, she woke with a start, realizing she almost dozed off.

Amanda tried to readjust so that she was laying comfortably on the bed.

She tried laying on her side, her back, even her stomach, but nothing felt right.

Finally, she decided it was the bed. It just felt uncomfortable.

Something was missing.

The brunette crept out of Ray's old bedroom and wandered downstairs.

Ray was laying on the couch with a thin blanket. Judging by the gentle rise and fall of his chest, he was sleeping. Upon closer inspection, Amanda noticed dark circles under the boy's eyes. He didn't look like he'd gotten much sleep lately.

Amanda stood there, debating whether or not to wake him, when she finally sat next to him. She curled up next to him and positioned herself so that her face was buried in his chest.

Once she was comfortable, exhaustion began to catch up to her.

Right when Amanda fell asleep, she felt Ray awaken.

It took a minute for him to realize who had curled up next to him before he lifted the blanket and wrapped it around them both.

He kissed Amanda's forehead and brought her just a little closer to him.

"Good night, Amanda. See you in the morning."


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers! It always makes me smile to see such lovely comments! :)**

**I did say I would update more during the summer, yes? Well, I am officially on summer vacation! Here's a little celebratory chapter. I think it's crazy how I have no idea what to do for this story, yet it just keeps writing itself. It's got a life of its own 0.0**

**Sorry if there are any mistakes.**

**Enjoy!~**

**Chapter 33**

"Please? I promise, I won't take long."

Mr. Wood sighed. "Just hurry up, okay? I don't want to spend more time here than necessary."

Kris squealed and hugged him. "Don't worry! I won't be long."

She hopped out of the car and ran up the driveway of her old home. It was the middle of the night, and Kris knew that her parents would be fast asleep. She had convinced Mr. Wood to let her see her family one last time before they started life anew in the house Mr. Wood purchased. She knew her parents would be asleep, but she at least wanted to leave a goodbye note.

Who knows? Maybe Kris could even see Lindy one last time.

The girl crept up to the back door and opened it easily, surprised that it was unlocked. She crept upstairs, note clutched in her hand, and tiptoed to her parents' room.

Upon opening the door, Kris felt a little disheartened.

Yep. They were sleeping. _So much for a hug and kiss goodbye._

Even so, Kris was pretty sure her parents wouldn't just let her go. She was still their baby girl, after all, and she had been 'missing' for a while, now.

Carefully, the blonde placed the note on her mother's nightstand. Her heart nearly stopped when Mr. Powell stirred.

Quickly, she slipped out of the room and down the hall. Lindy was asleep, too.

Kris let out a quiet sigh.

_Well, what did I expect? It is a school night, after all. Everyone's asleep._

Just when she was about to leave, Lindy turned onto her side. Her eyes opened.

"Kris? Is that you?"

The younger twin could only stand there, frozen.

Lindy sat up. "Kris?"

She blinked a few times before breaking out into a smile. She practically jumped out of bed and wrapped her sister into a hug.

"I missed you!"

Kris couldn't believe her ears.

"You missed me?"

Lindy pulled back. "Of course! You're my sister."

Kris narrowed her eyes. "Are... are you kidding?"

The air in the room seemed to grow thick with Kris's anger.

"You used to treat me like shit," she growled. "You called me names, you made fun of the fact that I wasn't as pretty as you, and you completely abandoned me. I go missing for who-knows-how-long and all of a sudden you want to acknowledge me as your sister?"

Lindy's smile faded. "Kris, I -"

"Save it. I don't want to hear it." She spun on her heel and began to leave the room.

"You know that's not fair!"

Kris stopped. "What?"

Her sister glared at her back. "How you're acting. Don't you realize how worried Mom and Dad have been? I've been worried, too!"

"Oh, really? I find that funny." Kris turned back around. Her eyes were brimming with tears of anguish. "No one really cared when I was around, but when I disappear, all of a sudden people want me? What, were you upset that your personal punching bag wasn't around when you wanted it to be?"

_Ouch._ Lindy visibly winced at her sister's sharp words.

"Kris, I know I was mean to you, but please, listen -"

"Mean? You were a _bitch_!"

Lindy winced again. "E-even though I didn't exactly treat you right, please, just hear me out. Mom, Dad, and I miss you. We love you. Even some of the kids at school miss you. Do you remember your friend, Cody?"

Kris's angry features relaxed slightly. "Yeah, what about him?"

"Well, he misses you, too," Lindy lied. "And we all want you to come back. Please."

It was a tough decision to make. Kris wanted to be with her family again, but she wanted it to be like when she was a kid, when Lindy was at least decent to her and they had a good relationship. She had a feeling that things at school wouldn't change; if she went back, they would just go back to treating her like dirt again. People often take things for granted.

Mr. Wood, on the other hand, was treating her like a princess. He called her things like 'baby' and 'sweetie', things that made Kris's stomach do flips. She was falling for him, that was for sure.

What was she to choose? A life of false happiness with her family? Or a life of fun and, maybe, love with her former dummy?

Kris stared at her sandals.

"I..."

* * *

Slappy moved a strand of hair out of Amy's face. She smiled up at him, the bed sheets covering her half-naked form.

"I love you," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her small frame.

Amy kissed the side of his head. "I love you, too."

Just when they were both about to fall asleep again, the phone downstairs began to ring.

Amy groaned. "I'll get it."

Slappy stopped her. "No, I will."

He couldn't explain it; there was something weird in his stomach that told him the call was strictly for him.

Amy shrugged and curled up on her bed, pulling the sheets over her bare abdomen. She seemed to fall asleep almost immediately.

Slappy made his way down to the kitchen and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"_It's Ray_." The dead boy's voice was almost a panicked whisper. "_I need your help_."

"With what?"

"_You turned yourself human_," Ray said. "_How did you do that?_"

Slappy raised an eyebrow. "I used a spell that turns dummies into humans. I'm not too sure that would work for you, but I'm sure there are multiple spells out there to turn the dead back into the living."

"_Please_," Ray pleaded. "_Amy has a computer, right? Can you look it up for me? The electricity is faulty here and there aren't any real means of technology_."

The orange-haired boy sighed. "Yeah, I'll look it up. Can I look it up later, though?"

"_Yes. Just please let me know as soon as you find something_."

"Sure."

"_Thank you_."

Slappy hung up. He stared at the phone for a few minutes before shaking his head and returning upstairs to the girl he loved.

He wasn't sure what Ray was up to, but judging by the sound of urgency in his voice, it was important.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! :)**

**I don't own Goosebumps or its respective characters :(**

**Chapter 34**

Amanda finished making herself breakfast and turned the stove off. Ray was sitting at the kitchen table, his head resting on his folded arms.

He'd been acting strange ever since she woke up; he paced back and forth, he drummed his fingers on the table impatiently, and he just seemed moody. When Amanda asked him if he'd like eggs, Ray replied with a curt 'no' and put his head down.

As she made herself a plate and sat down, she wondered if she should ask if Ray was okay.

Maybe he was still upset over the fact that he didn't have great parents? If so, she didn't want to irritate him further.

But the silence in the room was tense and it was killing Amanda. She wasn't used to Ray being so unhappy.

Not that she minded. Everyone got irritated sometime or another, so she completely understood. But Amanda wanted to know what it was to make the undead young man so unusually short with her.

Was it... her presence? Was Ray tired of her?

Suddenly, Amanda didn't feel very hungry.

She sat at the table for a few minutes, debating whether or not she should attempt to eat, before getting up and wrapping her plate in tinfoil.

Amanda put the plate in the fridge and the pan in the sink.

"I'm going for a walk," she announced. "See you in a little while."

"Mm-hmm," was Ray's half-hearted response.

Amanda blinked before she walked out the kitchen door.

Ray, on the other hand, was so full of anticipation that he couldn't think straight. If there was a possibility, even by the use of witchcraft, that he could become a human again, he would do anything.

Waiting for Slappy to call him back was becoming too much to bear. Ray was growing impatient.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the phone in the living room began to ring. The blonde boy's head snapped up at the sound and he all but flew out of his chair to answer it.

"Hello?"

"_Ray, I found something_."

Relief flooded Ray's heart. "A spell?"

"_Yep. Just found one on the internet. You might want to get something to write it down_."

Ray obliged.

"_All right, this is what it says.._" Slappy trailed.

* * *

"I can't. I have to leave."

Lindy stared at Kris in disbelief. She thought her words had struck home.

"But Kris, what about Mom and Dad?" she asked. "What about me? What are we going to do without you?"

"Figure it out," Kris replied. "This is what I want. I love you guys, believe me, I do, but I'm with this guy right now, and..."

Lindy stared at her. "You'd leave your family behind for a boy? That's stupid!"

"He treats me better than you guys do." Kris gave her twin a pointed look. "And who knows? This guy might be the real thing. I want to see where our relationship goes."

"So that's it then. You'd choose some random guy over your own family."

Kris bit her lip and nodded.

Lindy shook her head. "Whatever, then. If that's what you want."

The silence was awkward. Kris sighed and held out her arms.

"Can I at least have a hug before I go? I might never see you again."

Lindy practically bear-hugged her. As she hugged her sister, she realized she'd miss her. Okay, so maybe she wasn't the nicest to Kris, but she enjoyed the little sisterly talks they had over ice cream and movies.

"Will I get to visit you someday?"

Kris nodded. "At some point. If you want... you can call my cell."

"You've had your cell this whole time and you never called us?" Lindy stared at her sister, dumbfounded.

The younger twin blushed. "Like I said, I've got a really hot guy, and I was kind of busy."

Lindy decided not to ask questions. She didn't want to know about her sister's love life and whether or not things got heated.

"Okay. He doesn't mind you receiving calls?"

"Well, he doesn't know that I've got my cell with me. I happened to keep my phone in my junk jewelry box and he ended up looting it. So now I can text you, Mom, Dad, anyone. But I can't have anyone call the cops on us. You can't tell anyone, either."

Lindy nodded. "All right. I won't. Just be careful, okay? Don't do anything stupid."

"I will. See you later."

With that, Kris left her old home and returned to the car outside. Mr. Wood was drumming his fingers on the driving wheel impatiently.

"Did you do everything you needed to?"

Kris nodded. "Thank you."

"Sure."

With that, they drove off.

**More a filler than anything, but things will pick up next chapter ;P**


	35. Chapter 35

**To all my reviewers, thank you! :)**

**And I'm sorry this chapter is so short... Writer's block has royally smacked me upside the head.**

**Anyway, so here ya go! :)**

* * *

**Chapter 35**

Amanda woke up to the feel of warm arms around her. She groaned and shifted slightly.

"Ray, what are you doing?" she asked, once she felt kisses being planted all over her cheeks. When he finally pressed his lips to hers, she giggled.

"Open your eyes," Ray whispered. Amanda obliged, and she was shocked to find Ray's cheeks colored.

His skin was no longer sickly pale, and his eyes weren't bordering on scarlet anymore. His eyes were a brilliant blue, and his skin was a light cream, slight red dusting his cheeks. His blonde hair was scruffy and looked alive, instead of limp and dead.

Ray was full of life.

Amanda stared at him. "Y-you look different. How..?"

Her question was cut off as his lips met hers in heated passion. Amanda moaned and kissed him back.

Once he pulled away, he smiled, revealing beautiful white teeth. "Slappy got me a spell that turns the dead back human. I don't know the full details of it, but I know that I'm human again."

As if on cue, his stomach rumbled. Ray groaned. "And damn it, I'm starving."

Amanda laughed and took his hand. "Come on, I'll make us something to eat."

His palm felt a little sweaty, but it felt normal. He was no longer cold.

Just before Amanda led Ray into the kitchen, she suddenly hugged him.

The blonde boy stood there motionless, confused, until Amanda sighed.

"I've been wanting to hear your heartbeat for a while," she murmured. "It sounds so strong. It's beautiful."

Ray cupped her face and tilted it up to face him. "_You're_ beautiful.

They kissed briefly before Ray's stomach rumbled again. Amanda giggled and brought him into the kitchen.

As they both worked to make something to eat, they both had a spring in their step.

Now that Ray was human, things might be normal. They could both grow old together, get married, have children; it was perfect.

Once they had both eaten, Ray swept Amanda into his arms and carried her outside, with her laughing all the way.

"Ray! Where are we going?" she asked. He planted a kiss on her forehead before spinning them both around.

"We're going for a little walk," he replied. "I've been dead for so long and now that I'm alive again, I want to enjoy it."

Eventually, Ray set Amanda down and they walked, hand-in-hand, through the woods of Dark Falls. They didn't encounter any of the dead children since it was sunny outside, which was perfect.

For a while, it felt like they were the only ones in the world.


End file.
